Fireworks
by RenegadeZabuzaMomochi
Summary: What do you do when someone you love falls for someone else? What if... just what if... someone else can take the pain away? Love is brutal. Orihime has been in love with Ichigo for years but when she learns he and Rukia are friends that have special "benefits," she turns to Renji. Love is full of risks. Take it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach or One Piece or Fairy Tail. Or anything that has copyrights.

_**Fireworks**_

_Chapter One: Thinking Of You, Orihime_

Senior year. The last year where everyone can make one last impression, to leave a legacy behind. A lot has been done within the last year. I made new friends, made new enemies... but falling in love never changed. I was in love yet I was hurting inside. I would walk to school constantly thinking about what I could do to change myself. Even though I could ask God to change my life and change the way I lived, I would always fall in love with the same person over and over again. I led a pathetic, unrequited romance with _him_ and it wasn't going to change. After all, he had _her_. I was just a friend, not even an obstacle.

_Kurosaki Ichigo._

"Putting my defenses up because I don't wanna' fall in love! If I ever did that, I think I'd have a heart attack!" I sang.

I made it to school after entering a trance provided by my music on my phone, occasionally texting Tatsuki from time to time. She asked if I was doing anything for White Day which is an equivalent to Valentine's Day. It was always the same. I'd come up with a new idea and I'd give my crush something for that day and he'd always be absent. He lost his mother and all he had were his father and two sisters. I understood the level of pain he did, for I lost people close to me when I was young. That's how I fell in love.

I would wake up joyful each day, perform my daily routines and go to school happy. Even knowing it would take him time to reciprocate my feelings or anyone else's. Then the day came when she came into our lives. She gave him power, made him feel less lonely. They understood each other better than I did. Yet I was always in his life as a friend. I was sad but happy at the same time. I was there for him when we were wanted criminals. When Soul Society was invaded by rogue Quincy. And when it came down to it, I could never make him feel alive nor make him smile the same way Rukia did.

That was her name. _Kuchiki Rukia._

I loved her like a sister. She would scold me whenever I felt fat; I mean, I did always eat bizarre food and I genuinely loved it. At one point, I did gain so much weight that I didn't notice. I managed to hit nearly three hundred pounds and he didn't notice nor did he care. He was still a loner in school and when I realized it, I spent years trying to lose that weight. I took up martial arts. I learned how to do ballet, how to dance. I changed my look to be more alluring so he can be seduced by my renewed appearance. I know how guys stare at my figure. But I didn't care, I saved myself for one person and one person only. I put up so much effort and he didn't care. Why was this happening to me?

"Orihime! Wait! Orihime!" a voice called out to me.

"Huh?" I turned around. "Renji!"

His name was Abarai Renji. People swear he and Ichigo were identical to each other. He became such a good friend over the years though he mostly came to me when he needed to know something. He and the rest of the Shinigami started attending school here. We were seat-mates since he first entered school and he became popular fast because of his antics. He's turned a few heads and to be quite honest, if Ichigo didn't exist, I'd probably be head over heels for him. He's such a genuine friend and he's always there to help me when I'm in need. He's also my partner when we do gym together because Ichigo and Rukia are always together. Some speculated that they were a secret item but with the way they are and how I know them personally? They're usually discussing training regimen together. Then again...

_Flashback_

It was the end of the day and we were traveling home together. Keigo, Renji, Chad, Uryuu, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku, Tatsuki and myself with Yoruichi in her cat form walking besides me. We saw Hitsugaya with a soccer ball on his feet, his arm propped with his jacket over him. Right next to him was Kenpachi, and they were both, as odd as it is, teachers. Hitsugaya got a job teaching science and Kenpachi was the head of the martial arts program. Matter of fact, several Gotei 13 members started attending school here to regulate the amount of Hollow invading and to serve as a secret special forces team. Only few even knew who they really were.

"Hey, Toushirou!" Keigo called out to Hitsugaya.

"It's Captain Hitsugaya! Oh. You." As usual, Hitsugaya was by the soccer field waiting for Momo.

"That's not fair! You know my name!" Keigo began dramatically crying and it made me giggle.

"What do you want, Asano?" Hitsugaya began digging his ears in frustration. Kenpachi gave out a devious grin and began withdrawing his shinai, pointing at Keigo.

"You! You look scrawny as shit. You don't look like you've been training. Fight me, you bastard!" Kenpachi swung the wooden sword at Keigo and it created an invisible force wave that bifurcated some trees.

"Enough." Byakuya grabbed his arm to prevent him from creating colossal damage. He ran a business here to give Rukia a decent home.

"Let go, pretty boy! You want some of this?!" Kenpachi began cracking his knuckles with the anticipation to fight him.

"Be advised, Kenpachi, we're still following the human world's rules. No destruction." Byakuya held up a scroll with a reminder specific for Kenpachi.

"I'll fight you, sir!" Ikkaku withdrew his own shinai and entered a battle stance, and from there, the poor hotdog vendor was blown to bits but the man was spared from an unnecessary fate.

"Hey, guys! Sorry, I'm late. I had to do more reports for the school paper..." Momo was out of breath as she said this.

"Teacher's pet..." Yumichika gloated. He was failing math. Momo stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ichigo." Chad was staring off to the distance where the trees were partially blocking everything. I looked immediately to the direction he was gazing at. Then I felt my heart fluttering before a sharp pain assumed the position.

"Isn't that Rukia?" Uryuu called out. Everyone but the two captains and Ikkaku heard. Well, Momo was pestering Hitsugaya so that includes them.

I focused my vision more and more and then I felt my heart drop. They were exiting a motel, and Rukia ruffled Ichigo's hair before it seemed like she was fixing it, and his uniform. It was one of those love motels. Well, I call it a love motel because I remember passing by after a night out with Tatsuki, Rukia, Rangiku and Momo when we heard some scandalous screams of pleasure. It was just a normal motel with a pretty infamous reputation for couples to become intimate. Tatsuki and I went there once to investigate under the disguise of lesbians looking to acquire a room when we saw Momo and Hitsugaya leaving. We stared at one another for a few minutes but we kept the information to ourselves. Momo was as red as an apple that day and I could see some love marks on her neck that was still sort of visible up to this day. Ichigo and Rukia departed, and she was making her way towards us. I don't think she realized that we saw her just leaving the premises. I felt like I was going to hurl and pass out right then and there when Renji spoke.

"They've been spending a lot of time lately..." he said softly.

I was going to say something but I think I can sense some hurt in his voice. Everyone else started walking with conversations of their own and we were left behind. You see, Renji and Rukia have a deep history not so different from ours. And he was the closest candidate to being with her. I understand his pain but only Rangiku, Chad, Uryuu and Tatsuki know how I feel about Ichigo. Well, I think Mr. Hat-'n'-Clogs knows, too, and I think Karin, Yuzu and Ichigo's dad get the idea. Renji look conflicted because he failed to protect her once, and he still hasn't won her love. He never spoke about it or gave away hints but with the way I've been towards Ichigo, I can sense it. Love not returned. I know it must hurt knowing he's having some type of fling with her, and I hate that sensation. That fluctuating sensation of hurt because I can't stand trying to envision him being in bed with anyone else. I mean, I haven't been touched but it hurts so bad to know that he's been with someone. It's already bad enough some girls can describe his body with great accuracy so I would get the impression he's been with a few girls but his emotions have always been locked away.

"Y-yeah, I mean, we are friends! He owes her a lot, you know... she saved him, and he saved her... why shouldn't it be natural? You know..." I looked to the ground and felt my eyes swell with tears but did my best to restrain them. I looked up to see Renji still staring.

"Yeah... they deserve some time off, I guess..." Renji started walking towards the group.

_They had sex. I've been here all his life. He had sex with her. If he asked me, I'd give it to him in a heart beat. That's how pathetic I am. They had sex. He probably had sex with Tatsuki, too. And Rangiku. And Yoruichi. They had sex._

"They had sex..." I whispered. And tears fell down my face.

_End of flashback_

"Hey, did you do your homework for history?!" Renji started panting as he caught up to me. I let out a laugh.

"You're always procrastinating!" I started digging into my school bag to open up my planner.

"I can't help it! I was going to do it but then I started watching the new episodes of Fairy Tail! Laxus is the man!" Renji started making exaggerated poses that made me laugh even more.

"All right, you goofball. I understand. Here." I gave him the planner which revealed it wasn't due until the **next day** and Renji's eyes just went wide. I started laughing more.

"Wait, I thought today was Friday?"

"Nope. You must have been caught up with anime you seem to have forgotten. You get distracted easily, especially on the _phone_, you know." I wiggled a finger playfully at him.

"You can't blame me, you just said you understand! And you know you put me to sleep!"

"Well, _sorry_ if I'm too boring." I turned away, folding my arms as I gave a fake pout.

"Nobody wants to hear about stupid pirates!"

"Wha'?! Like Fairy Tail has nothing in common with One Piece?!"

"It has Dragon Slayers!" Renji's expression looked as if he was completely offended. And to be honest, he looked pretty cute.

"Okay, fine. You win." I smiled and began making my way to the school grounds.

"Hey, wait!"

_Ten minutes later..._

I situated myself right before the bell rang. Renji did as well but he began to fidget in his seat. I snorted and began to take out my notebooks when I looked in front of me. Our history teacher was Kensei Muguruma...

"Good morning, sensei," Tatsuki greeted which he replied gratefully with a grunt. He had his arms folded and started glaring at everyone, and I swear, he looked like a drill instructor without the campaign hat.

"Pssst." I looked to my right to see a panicking Mashiro pointing at him. "Renji!"

"Eh? Aw, hell no!" Renji made a disappointing face. I smiled and started patting his back.

"Hey, he might pass you!" I comforted him as the bell rang.

"Sit your asses down! Now!" Kensai commanded as he began walking around, giving everybody the stink eye. I wasn't fazed since he knew me. Plus, it takes more than an intimidating stare to frighten me. "And don't expect it to be an easy year! I intend to flunk every one of you punks unless you can do something about it so don't think I'm going to pass you just because you know me or think you know me!" He immediately stared at Renji who stood completely frozen when he did. He looked at me and I kept a straight face. When he saw this, he let out a smirk and continued walking.

"If you have what it takes to pass my class, then you will earn my respect. You will walk among giants! You will be a beast! You will be... the best!" he said slamming his book on the desk as a shockwave blasted those in front of him. Including Keigo.

"This is going to suck..." Renji sunk in his seat.

"I think it'll be a good year!" I was the positive one. I looked forward as Kensei began lecturing the class about the Edo period. Two seats in front near the door were Ichigo and Rukia. They started talking and I felt my heart sink.

_Lunchtime_

"Hey, Renji! Orihime!" Keigo waved to us. He was in our usual spot on the roof and right next to him were Tatsuki, Chizuru, Mizuiro, Mizuho who is Keigo's sister, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Michiru and Matsumoto. Renji and I sat next to them and we opened our picnic blankets. I sat down and began taking out my stranger concoctions and I swear they're delicious!

"Hey, how come you never sit with those guys?" Mizuho pointed at the group behind me. I turned around and saw Uryuu, Chad, Momo, Kensei, Shinji, Yoruichi, Mashiro and the others at a higher level. The only ones missing were the captains and other officers with the exception of Kensei and Shinji, and Ichigo and Rukia.

"Oh, I hang out with them from time to time. I spend lunch with you guys!" I smiled as I started to munch on bean pasted bread.

"I wasn't talking to you, boobies. I mean, you!" Mizuho pointed at Renji who was devouring his own bento he buys from Uruhara's.

"I can hang out with whoever I want whenever I want!" Renji stated defiantly.

"And do whoever you want." Chizuru narrowed her eyes at him. My ears shot up.

"Huh? What did you say, freak!" Renji stood up and Chizuru mimicked him.

"I know what you're up to! You're pissed Ichigo and Rukia are friends-with-benefits and you're stuck lonely and depressed because you can't have her so you want to take my beloved princess from me!" Chizuru burst out in tears.

"Hey, wait a second! It's not like that! We're friends, you weirdo!" Renji started trying to comfort her as the others teased.

My heart stopped.

_Friends? With... benefits? You mean... it wasn't just... assumption..._

"Friends-with... benefits?" I said quietly. That caught Tatsuki's attention.

"Eh? Oh, right. You have no idea what that is because you're still a virgin. They're friends but with... special 'benefits,' but you don't need to know about that," she explained.

"What kind of... benefits?" I gulped.

"Eh? Yeah, what's that?" Renji sat down. He was suddenly curious.

"Oh, you know..." Chizuru came up behind me and groped my breasts, causing me to yelp. "Something we could be..." she whispered to my ear.

"Get off her, pervert!" Tatsuki kicked her off me. "Anyway. They get together, rent a motel and do it there. That's about it. Not worth your time."

"It? What do you mean, do it? Do what..."

"Nothing you should concern yourself, sis. Don't bother." Tatsuki began making dismissive hand motions.

"Awww! So kawaii! You're so naive, hime!" Chizuru made a diving hug at me but was restrained by Tatsuki.

"Oh..." I started nibbling on some Pocky but I couldn't get back into the conversation. They were intimate. Why? What does she have that I don't?

"Hey, you okay?" Renji placed a hand on my hair. I lost it.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I stood up and began wiping my tears. "See? I'm fine!"

"You're a bad liar." Renji looked at me with a blank expression.

"Come on, we're going to be late for class..."

"Today is half-day. School is over."

Right...

_As we head home..._

"Look, there they are again." Tatsuki nodded her head. I looked and saw Ichigo walking with Rukia back to the motel. "Told you."

"They must be spending lots of money there. Oh well. Sucks for them." Keigo began leading the group as we slowly began to depart, leaving just Renji and I.

Renji was staying in an apartment by himself and I was going to make my way to work when I stopped. I saw the bakery to my left and I didn't have to go in until an hour and I was fifteen minutes away from clocking in. I saw Renji hitting the pedestrian crosswalk button but even though there were no vehicles, he still obeyed the simplest of rules. Looking left to right, he was going to walk when I grabbed his hand without realizing it. But when I did, I looked up and apologized. He said it was fine but he didn't grab my hand. When we reached his apartment, he was going to bid me farewell but he saw me staring at his apartment floor.

"Yo'. You okay?"

"Renji."

"What?"

"Do you know why they're friends-with-benefits?"

"Eh, beats me. Tatsuki told me-"

"Wait, Tatsuki told you what it is? She knows what it really means?"

"Aw, shit. I forgot you didn't know much about it..."

"Renji..."

"You should be getting to work-WHAT THE HELL!" Renji felt a glass jar hit his head. We looked up to see Yachiru giggling and waving at us. "Get lost!"

"So what is it?"

"Huh? Oh. Well, they do it. You know... it."

"And what is... it?"

"I don't feel comfortable telling you about it! We have Sex Ed together!"

"And we're partners! We've been seat-mates for like... ever! You're supposed to tell me everything!"

"... why?"

"Because we're best friends! We're... best friends..."

It hit me. This whole time, out of all the perverts who'd been trying to make a pass at me, Renji was truly a friend when I felt down. I mean, I love my sisters to death and I can't live without Tatsuki and even though it hurts, I can't bring myself to hate Rukia. But it's too easy to relate to girls and we can easily get disgusted with one another. But Renji and I got close. I tried being close to Uryuu once but he got too focused on his studies; last year, I tried asking him to be my 'Valentine' on White Day for the hell of it but he shot me down just like everyone else so I spent it with Tatsuki, and everyone else. I think Ichigo was seeing someone from another school but I couldn't remember. I was trying to catch up so I don't flunk.

Anyway...

While everyone was thinking I was oblivious to sex, I knew how Ichigo and Rukia were. I still pass by his house on my way home to work. One time, I saw Rukia going into his house and another time, I heard loud music from his room playing. It wasn't even the type Ichigo liked but his blinds were closed, and they usually weren't. So I'd try to stay in denial. But that day when we saw them, Renji and I started talking for months. And he became my closest friend.

It all began when I went home that day and I got a text from everyone but Renji. I think Renji was hurt more because his history was darker than mine so I sent him a text. He said he was fine but I kept trying to talk to him. The next day, he was absent and the day after that as well. So I went to his apartment and he wasn't there, but I saw Hachi passing by so I followed him. I found Renji training at the Visored compound and I had never seen him so furious. I made him a snack to help alleviate his frustration but never inquired why he was bothered. So when he was done, his personality completed shifted because he was pretty hungry. But that night...

That night, he sent me a text to say thanks. And I replied with a smiley face. Over time, he and I kept talking and next thing you know, the following month, we were talking on the phone, going over to each other's houses to watch anime, hang out on the weekends, jog together... he lifted my spirits up and yet I could see him frustrated. He hid it well but I got attached to him. I was... investing myself into him emotionally. And I realized it: I did it without realizing. Spending nights at each other's house. Making food. Eating out together. Sharing manga. Going to the movies. We did not spend more than 24 hours apart.

So... I decided to pretend to be clueless and ask. Just in case I could be wrong.

"Best friends? What makes you say we're best friends? I thought Tatsuki was your best friend?" Renji tilted his head so I giggled, biting my lip afterwards.

"She's my sister. But what you've done for me constitutes as a best friend. So..."

"Oh. That makes sense. I think."

"So best friends tell each other things."

"Fine. Friends-with-benefits is the same thing as having a friend but they get in bed... naked. They just don't have emotions."

"But how does it happen?"

"I dunno'. She said they usually make an agreement."

"Wait. How does SHE know?"

"Oh... uuuhhhh..."

"Renji."

"OKAY, FINE. Last year, her friendship with Uryuu was kind of destroyed but she told us they were that kind of friends. So he doesn't really talk to her anymore. So yeah..."

"What! Why didn't she tell me!"

"She doesn't want to pour her problems on you. She wanted you to stay happy, I guess. I don't know! I told her to tell you but she didn't want to so you gotta' ask her!"

"Geeze! So anyway, what else did she say?"

"Well, she says that's what they're all for. Friendship with sex. But she says it gets too risky because she fell for Ishidia. And he didn't want her. So when we asked her why she acted weird around him, she dropped the bomb."

"So Ichigo..."

"That's what they are. They aren't boyfriend-girlfriend but they're doing the hanky-panky."

"Hanky-panky?" I started to laugh.

"That's how she described it!"

"Okay. So they just come to an agreement and try to stay friends?"

"Yeah."

"While risking the chance of falling in love?"

"Yeah."

"So kind of like a faux-relationship?"

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. The answer is yes! You done? I wanna' take a nap..."

"Okay, okay. So... they're not really together-together?"

"... you have got to be shittin' me..."

"Just asking!"

"YES. Can I go? I wanna' go sleep..."

"Fine. But can I ask you something?"

"Oh, come on! What?"

"May I... join you?"

"Yeah, yeah. I think you left your clothes by the futon. I got too lazy to bring it to you so don't be surprised if they're all crumpled. And don't wake me until supper. Lord knows I barely get sleep with Kenpachi and Madarame getting drunk all night." Renji groaned. That's right- Kenpachi lives in the complex across from where Renji and the rest of the non-captain class officers stayed.

"Must be exciting."

"Sure, 'exciting'." Renji rolled his eyes and he began leading the way with me right behind him.

We got to his apartment and he lazily opened the door. We both got in and it wasn't like Ichigo's room the last time I was in it. Well, the last time I was there I think he had a major over-haul. Everything was organized to his disposition and Kon was asleep on his bed. Renji's place wasn't messy at all but it wasn't as tidy as Ichigo's room. It had a retro and urban feel to it. I saw his guitar next to two beanbags- I gave those to him, and I sat down. He had one TV and a laptop on a coffee table where he didn't drink coffee. He had one room where we both slept whenever I got too tired to walk home, and he had an extra futon. I scanned the premises and I realized I bought him a lot of these things. My heart started to race and when I saw Renji coming towards me with two cups of tea, I felt cold.

"It's nothing like what Old Hat-'n'-Sandals can make but it's better than Uryuu's shit."

"It's fine."

"I am so tired..." Renji stretched out as he let out a lengthy yawn.

"So..."

"What is it?" Renji began rubbing his eyes.

"Want to sleep... together?"

"Yeah, I'm going to hit the sack. I'll set my alarm to 7." We both got up but I grabbed his arm, and he turned around.

"I didn't mean it like that..." I began to mutter nervously.

"Eh?" Renji raised his eyebrow when his eyes got wide after I placed his hand on my breast. He gulped.

"I mean... I want to sleep with you..."

"Wha-wha-wha'?"

"I'm making a proposition."

"Are you... are you..."

"I want to become friends-with-benefits with you."

_To be continued..._

_**Next Chapter: I Kissed A Girl, Renji.**_

**AN: **Each chapter will identify whose perspective it will be on. Read and review!

**NOTE:** Yes. The titles will be based on Katy Perry songs.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two: I Kissed A Girl, Renji_

_What the hell just happened? _

That was a question I frequently asked myself everyday when I woke up. I'd wake to her sleeping next to me or not at all. Sometimes, I'd wake up to the smell of something cooking, or the sounds of a knife slamming on the cutting board, or something playing on the television. Or if I was lucky, I'd catch her singing along with the music on her phone. In this case, I was extremely lucky. I quickly got dressed, putting on a simple shirt and jeans while I tied my hair, looking at the clock. It was already ten in the morning. I heard the sound of something sizzling and I can smell freshly cut vegetables being cooked. I walked out and there she was. She had already finished cooking by the time I was done and she was sitting on the table in front of the TV with breakfast well prepared, maybe a little occupied on her phone.

"It's like I've been awaken, every rule I had you breakin', it's the risk that I'm takin', I ain't ever going to shut you out! Everywhere I'm lookin' now, I'm surrounded by your embrace! Baby, I can see your halo... you know you're my saving grace!" Orihime sang before she was interrupted by a text from Tatsuki where she continued by humming to the melody. "I can see your halo, halo, halo..."

It's been two months since she asked me to be that kind of friend. Two whole months and the days started getting easier. What compelled her to ask me, I don't know. I just remember her following me one day and she decided to give it a try. I know she had a thing for Ichigo, I remember Tatsuki beating me to a pulp when she said don't break her heart. It was her arrangement, not mine! But yet... for two months, I couldn't stand a day without her. I saw her sit on the beanbag chair with her feet propped on the table, a stick of Pocky in her mouth as she continued to sing. She had jogging pants on and a simple white shirt, her hair was a little wet so she probably showered long before I woke up. I sat next to her and without turning, she started to lightly scratch my back as I began to devour my breakfast. Judging from her empty bowl, she had started without me and I didn't care. I saw the news reel in front of me; some kind of **mysterious** explosion near a toy factory. My commander probably went to investigate the source or Captain Kenpachi got carried away. Regardless, that gave me the initiative to do a little scouting myself.

I scarfed my food within minutes and I leaned back. Orihime started to rub my arms as she placed her legs over mine where I began to rub her thighs. She was still busy chatting to Tatsuki since it was the weekend and she got stuck at work. Two months and not much has really changed asides from the sex. Neither of us knew what to do and we were both deathly shy but after the first three times, we no longer felt ashamed. Nobody knew what was going on since we kept that composure in school and people stopped thinking it was odd that we hung out on a daily basis eons ago. Nobody knew why Orihime was always laughing nor did they know why I was less aggressive. Then I remembered what Tatsuki told me why she doesn't talk to Ishida anymore. She invested herself emotionally to Uryuu and she was rejected.

Are we doomed to suffer the same fate? Will our friendship die? What happens when emotions get thrown in the mix? Are emotions already present? What the hell are we doing?

I am an officer in the Gotei. I have the mental capacity to not take anything seriously but this was my friend. What if... what if I decided, in a gamble to preserve our friendship, to stop what we're doing? What would the repercussions be? Will she still talk to me? A part of me wants to stop because I know that in the future, it'll be increasingly difficult to stay away from her. I'd get too attached compared to now. Will she move on? Will _I_ move on? What happens if we stop? Will I get Rukia's attention?

_Rukia._

She's my boss' sister. Well, adoptive sister. I've known her majority of my life. Without admitting it, she and Ichigo were in a relationship not different from ours. I had feelings for her yet those feelings dissipate whenever I'm around Orihime. I've known her for years and I was so close yet so far. But all of that would drown whenever I saw Orihime's face, or hear her voice, or felt her skin. Plus, Orihime had a much more alluring body compared to Rukia, no offense. And Orihime wasn't as masculine. I loved her feminine side. She completed a part of me that I couldn't explain, an emptiness that had no real meaning.

"Huh, there's a festival tonight near the school. Couples enter for free."

"And how do you distinguish couples from flakes?"

"It's sponsored by Shinji and... Byakuya."

"What!"

"Look." Orihime showed me the advertisement on her phone.

"You can't be serious."

"Dead serious," Orihime says as she laughs. "Wanna' go?"

"We have to present ourselves as a couple, though, right?"

"I think they can sneak us in. I kind of wanna' go."

"Eh..."

"Come on, Abarai! Please!" Orihime gave me a pout. I swear, she is so beautiful.

"All right, all right! Fine!"

"Yay! I'll text Tatsuki to meet us!"

"Huh? She's going?"

"Uh-huh! She's going with Chad!"

"... Do I want to know?"

"I think everyone is going since couples get in for free. And I think she's only trying to make Ishida jealous."

"Lord, it's been one year and she's still wanting the D."

"Renji!"

"It's true!"

"That's so mean!" Orihime smacked me playfully while giving me a smile. My phone rang.

"It's Toushirou. One sec," I said, activating the device. "Sir. I'm at home, sir. Now? Yes, Captain... I'll be there. Roger your last, sir."

"The explosion?"

"Yeah, Momo and Captain Hitsugaya found traces of negative energy in the vicinity. He's assembling a task force consisting of the Gotei 13. He's leading the reconnaissance." I got up but she grabbed my wrists.

"You have to go... now?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because... I want to play..." I locked eyes with her. She began to bite her lips and I was suddenly feeling the urge.

_Fuck it. I got time._

_At the factory..._

"Where the dog shit is Renji?" Ikkaku complained.

"Toushirou alerted him a while ago, he should be here soon!" Momo assured.

"That was thirty minutes ago," Matsumoto replied. "I'm getting bored!"

"I'm going to look around before I die of boredom," Ikkaku said, straying from the group.

"Hey! We're not supposed to wander off!" Momo called out.

"I'm here! Sorry, guys! I got... caught up... yeah..." I began panting.

"Where the hell were you?!" Ikkaku demanded.

"I was busy... give a guy a break, would ya'?" I stood up as Rangiku began to inspect me.

"Why do you smell like sweat, bean paste and shame?" she inquired.

"H-huh? I don't know what you're talking about!" I brushed off but Madarame was starting to find me suspicious.

"Did you rush here, Abarai-kun?" Momo asked.

"Yeah! That's why!" I exhaled relief.

"All right! Now, let's go over to Captain Hitsugaya!" Momo began to sprint off, followed by Ikkaku.

"Let's go, Rangiku-huh?" I noticed the way she was staring at me with a devious grin.

"Had fun?" she asked suggestively.

"What are you talking about?" I was beginning to get nervous.

"Oh, don't act like I don't know what you two are doing. I smell the same shit whenever I catch Hinamori leaving Hitsugaya's office. And it's the same stench I get from Kurosaki and Rukia."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Let's go."

"Renji, I may be lazy but I'm not dumb. You two were doing that Insanity work out, weren't you!" Rangiku began laughing as if she found me out.

_You're an idiot._ "Shit, don't tell anyone! Nobody can know we're doing something as dumb as that!"

"Hah! You're all fools! Wasting money on something you don't need! Besides, with the way Inoue is and how she's built, she would rather go jogging than do something crazy. Listen, kid, if you want a work out, we'll train... Bankai to Bankai..."

"... do you even Bankai, Matsumoto?"

"SHUT UP!"

Well, that shut her up. After that little exchange, I reached into my yukata and pulled out my phone. It was from Orihime sending me a heart. See, things like that make my day easier. I couldn't care less what we did as long as we did it together. And when I say it, we didn't need to have sex to communicate but, boy, sex is good. We may not be extreme but I get excited at the though of Orihime naked and on our futon.

Within minutes, we reached the group consisting of myself, Matsumoto Rangiku, Madarame Ikkaku, Hitsugaya Toushirou, Momo Hinamori, Urahara Kisuke and Love Aikawa. Urahara briefed us in on the new developments of the situation while Hitsugaya began making plans. We separated and I received another text from Orihime. She asked what I was doing and I told her I got stuck with Rangiku because everyone knows how lazy she is. She replied with a simple, "Oh..." Before I could say something back, I felt a heavy force hit my spinal column. After hitting the ground, I looked up to see a giant ass Hollow.

"Shit. Menos. More Menos! Oh yeah? Howl, Zabimaru!" I cried out.

I placed my hand on my weapon, gliding it down to the tip as my Shikai formed. The weapon's proportion was noticeably larger and a scarlet aura began to ascend into a torrential blaze around my figure. Serrated edges formed on the sharp end and its appearance became more menacing. I smirked, lifting myself up as I sped towards the enemy at an accelerating rate. I flung my weapon towards its mandible, targeting the midsection of the area as I felt spiritual pressure hurling at the Menos. In a manner of seconds, the blades make its destination and I tug on my weapon, forcing it to vivisect the Menos' face in half. Before I could celebrate, I heard more roars and my fellow officers engaging the squadron of Menos. I felt my yukata vibrate but I had no time to respond. More kept coming.

"Bring it! Bankai! Souou Zabimaru!"

I felt an immaculate wave extract from me as new energy surged through my veins. I felt my vigor renew as I took on an entirely new form. A gauntlet formed around my right wrist resembling my original Bankai's cranium with a cowl of red fur at its base, as an elongated, bony tail began to form behind me with structures similar to a vertebra protruding on the back of the skull. Light fur began to hang from my left shoulder, with a pair of pauldrons shaping to form a durable collar with chords hanging down from my waist. I unleash a blast of spiritual pressure towards the incoming enemy as I dashed forwards, releasing a volley of slashes at minor combatants, decimating them to nothing but spectral dust.

_Two hours later..._

"We did... we did good..." Momo sat next to Hitsugaya as she tried catching her breath.

"Don't... don't touch me-OW! STOP!" Ikkaku whined while Urahara tried to repair him with bandages.

"Hold still! You can't heal if you keep moving!" Urahara tried pinning him but Madarame wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"I don't need your help! Hey, stop touching me there!"

"Oh, grow up, you big baby." Rangiku rolled her eyes as she pinched the base of her nasal cavity.

"The rest of you. You can return to wherever it is you came from. I have to report this to the command," Hitsugaya ordered.

"Oh, let me come with you!" Momo offered and Hitsugaya didn't complain.

"Huh, that was weird..." I couldn't look at them the same now that Matsumoto hinted about a little tryst going on between them. Oh. Shit. I forgot! "Oh yeah!"

"What?" Rangiku looked at me with interest.

"I gotta' jet! See ya'!"

_A few minutes later back at my apartment..._

"Hey, Orihime. You still here?"

I got no response. I saw her shoes still here so I assumed she hasn't left the complex. I didn't smell anything cooking so I figured I check the bedroom. When I entered, I saw her on the futon with her hand clutching her phone next to a box of tissues. I think she cried herself to sleep. I stride over quietly and saw that all she had on was her bra. She was partially covered with the blanket but I can see her underwear and other clothes next to her along with my human attire. I quickly disengaged from my Shinigami mode and put on shorts. I looked into my phone to see if I missed any calls or messages and I found a few. All from her.

Some I hadn't read were:

_12:12PM So what's the news?_

_12:45PM Everything okay?_

_1:10PM Renji, are you there?_

_1:15PM Renji... I'm getting worried..._

_1:25PM Are you still with Matsumoto?_

_1:30PM Why aren't you answering me? I'm getting scared..._

_1:42PM I just called Momo. She says nobody got hurt. I hope you're okay._

_1:42PM I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you. _

_1:45PM Hey, is Matsumoto still with you? Tell her I said hi!_

_1:55PM Can you please just reply? I'm getting scared..._

_2:05PM I miss you..._

She misses me? Did she think I became a casualty? She should know by now that Hollows aren't that much of a problem for me nowadays. I mean, I got offered captaincy at one point but I turned it down. I sat down and began to rub her back, a tingle of ecstasy riding up from my spine to the back of my neck. And her scent; I was hypnotized by her scent. How the hell could Ichigo not notice her? Then I saw a portion of a reason why. Even as clumsy as she is, she still remained so elegant. The way she slept was so peaceful, even with a sad expression on her face. She was too perfect. Or rather, is too perfect. I couldn't keep my eyes off her and I would never trade a second away from her for anything. The way her body moved as she breathes, the way her hair cascaded on the futon. Everything.

I sat in silence for a while, reading on the manga she bought me last week. I heard her stirring and when I looked over, she was beginning to rub her eyes before she got up. She saw me and laid her head on my shoulders. For a while, we just sat there before she placed her chin on my arm. We didn't say anything and we stayed like this. I didn't know what to say. I made her worry as if she was my wife. Or my girlfriend. Sometimes, I don't even think we're friends. I think we absconded from that level and entered a new plane of existence. But I couldn't entertain that idea. I couldn't be greedy just yet because even though we were exclusive to each other, nothing was ever official. I mean, nobody knew anything with the slight possibility of Matsumoto but maybe I'm getting paranoid.

"Hi..." she whispered.

"Hey. Sorry for making you worry earlier..."

"Huh?"

"I got your text messages."

"Oh! That! No, no! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bother you!" Orihime began to wave her hands in panic and I could see her face was red as a beat. She was blushing.

"Chill, it's okay. I wasn't bugged by you."

"NO! It's... nothing... it's nothing..."

"Okay. Still. You got nothing to worry about. I can fight at a captain level and these dumbasses aren't even a problem for me."

"It wasn't that..."

"Eh?"

"I was just worried... that's all..."

"I'm fine."

"No, not by monsters... well... the ones you kill, anyway..."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing. Forget I said anything." She started to get up and dress herself but I gently pulled her close to me.

"What's buggin' ya'?"

"It's nothing! Really!"

"Oh, come on! You said it yourself! Best friends tell... remember?"

"I was just being silly, okay!"

"Silly? How? You were concerned about me so how is that silly?"

"I was silly over you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing! Just forget it, ugh!"

"Orihime, if it bothers you, it bothers me!"

"Let go!"

"No."

"Let go of me! I want to go..."

"Go where?"

"Just stop, okay? It's nothing. It isn't important!"

"You text me a hundred times and now it's not important? Shit, you're weird..."

"We established that already..."

"I can't just ignore this! You have to tell me what was bothering you! Best friends tell!"

"We're not **just** best friends, though..."

"Okay, best friends **with benefits** tell."

"God, that sounds so weird to say."

"Spit it out."

"I was silly! Can't we just leave it at that?"

"Nope."

"Renji, I'm serious. I'm fine. You're here now."

"Hey, you can't go back on that oath! Remember? Tell me. Now."

"Give it a rest already! Oh, my God..."

"Now."

"Renji. Stop. Forget about it because I already did."

"NOW."

"Please! I'm asking you to stop!"

"Holy horse fuck, NOW! Tell me what's bothering you now so we can solve this!"

"I WAS BEING SILLY OVER YOU AND MATSUMOTO, OKAY! THERE! HAPPY NOW?!" She hugged her knees and started to cry.

I paused. Silly over her and I? What? How? How the hell can you be silly over us? The cow is incompetent for one and while she has potential, she's almost never to be found when work needed to be done.

"Why are you silly over her and I? She's so irritating!"

"Because..." I could hear how difficult it was for her to speak as she sobbed. I saw her wiping her eyes and they were red, lines of water flowing down her cheeks. "I got jealous!"

"OF HER? THAT MORON? WHY...?"

"Because I got scared you snuck off with her and... you know... made love to her..."

I died. Seriously. I died and was resurrected by my own zanpakutou. I was mortified to death. I felt puke starting to accumulate. I was petrified.

"No."

"Huh?"

"NO! NO! NO! NO!"

"No?"

"That's... gross! Are you insane?!"

"Well, yeah. I told you I was silly."

"Orihime... WHY? Why would I sneak off and do it with HER?! OF ALL PEOPLE?!"

"Because... it happens..."

"Yeah! When you're not with someone!"

"What..."

"Look. I got you. As cheesy as it sounds, I like what we have. And if this didn't happen, SHE'S THE LAST PERSON I'D EVEN WANT TO BE NAKED AROUND! GROSS!"

"We aren't even together, though!"

"So?"

"People cheat!"

"Of course people cheat! I always cheat off of Uryuu in math!"

"Not like that!"

"Huh?"

"I mean... they would have somebody in their life but they find another in secret..."

"... why? What's the point of that?"

"I don't know! So that's why I got worried!"

"You thought I was doing it with a pile of poo..."

"No, I thought you took Rangiku to a love motel and did it with her!"

"Exactly. A pile of poo."

"Renji!"

"Okay, okay. A pile of perverted poo."

"You're so mean to her!" she laughed. She hugged me and I could feel her enormous bosom press on my arms. I reciprocated the gesture and inhaled her scent.

"Look, I don't know how you guys do your thing around here but I find that shit weird. I'm already happy with this carnal pleasure humans have so I don't need more than I should ask for. I'm happy with where I'm at for now. So you shouldn't overwhelm yourself with these insecurities."

"That was really intelligent."

"You sayin' I'm dumb?!"

"No, silly," she giggled. "I like you."

"Same."

"I'm sorry. For earlier."

"I'm not complainin'."

"No, really. I'm sorry."

"We're okay. So stop it." I got up and she gave me a puzzled look.

"What are you doing?"

"Get dressed. We're going to that festival."

"Okay, but I have to withdraw money so..."

"No, we're going in for free."

"Huh?"

"Yep."

"You mean."

"That's right. We're going in as a couple." Orihime smiled.

"You dirty player," she joked, laughing a little and I started to do the same when I stopped. She got up and went for the shower.

"Player?" I mumbled to no one in particular.

_6PM, the Two Souls Festival_

"Hey, Renji! Orihime!" Ichigo waved at us. Rukia had her arms around his waist when we arrived.

"Hey!" I bumped fists with him and greeted everyone.

"Hi, Rukia!" Orihime exchanged hugs with Rukia.

"Hey, Orihime!"

"Let me guess. Going in for free?" Ichigo inquired. I held Orihime's hand to confirm this and nobody seemed bothered by this. I guess it's still a charade. "So are we."

"I can smell food! It smells so good!" I looked to see Orihime trying to tip-toe to get a better look. She looked so cute doing so.

"We should start heading inside," I suggested. Everyone from school was here.

"All right. We should eat a light snack before we do anything, though. I skipped lunch."

"Same."

Before we went in, though, I pulled Ichigo to the side...

"Hey, Ichigo. What's a player?"

"Eh?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow at me.

_To be continued..._

_**Next Chapter: E.T., Orihime.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three: E.T., Orihime_

"What's that?" Tatsuki pointed at a couple of mascots who took on the form of a fox demon. I looked to where she was pointing with interest.

"Oh, God. It's the kyuubi from Naruto!" Renji, Ichigo and Keigo said in unison.

"Oh, Lord. Their inner otaku is coming out..." Rukia groaned.

"We must take a picture. WE MUST TAKE A PICTURE!" Keigo ran up to the person and began harassing the mascot. "I MUST HAVE YOU!"

"What an idiot," Hitsugaya said, coming out of nowhere.

"Shiro-chan!" I called out gleefully.

"It's Captain Hitsugaya!" he retorted with sheer annoyance.

"I didn't expect to see you here, sir," Renji said to him. I realized we were holding hands.

"Shinji and Byakuya are sponsoring the event. All of us are here with the exception of Kenpachi and Ukitake." Hitsugaya placed his hands in his pockets but someone approached him with an arm full of candy.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" Ukitake greeted.

"Speak of the bastard devil. Stop! No more candy!" Hitsugaya began walking away from the man.

"Wait! We both have white hair! I insist you take these!" Ukitake started following him and both of their paces began to quicken.

"Baka! Get away!" Hitsugaya was running at full speed now.

"I will never understand those two..." Chad stated. Ishida approached and Tatsuki immediately wrapped her arm around him. "Tatsuki..."

"Hey, Ishida." Renji waved.

"Hello, everyone," Ishida greeted politely. "Tatsuki. Chad."

"Uryuu." Tatsuki began glaring at him coldly.

"Free entry," Chad stated bluntly.

"I took notice." Ishida pushed up his glasses and his calmness seemed to further annoy Tatsuki.

"He's bigger than you," Tatsuki spat at him. A vein began protruding from his temple and I couldn't do anything but widen my eyes at her comment.

"Interesting development," was his sole reply.

"Wait. I don't know what's going on." Chad was taken back by Tatsuki's response.

"He's just furious because you're taller, that's all." Tatsuki grinned which seemed to fuel Ishida even more.

"She called you a skinny bitch!" Renji chimed in.

"Abarai!" I pinched his rib.

"It's fine. I see my presence is disturbing here. I'll let you be on your way." With that, Uryuu began to leave from the group.

"What the hell just happened?" Rukia was dumbfounded.

"I'll tell you later," Tatsuki replied.

"Can we enjoy the festival? Please?" I begged.

"Princess!" Chizuru came up from behind and started groping me, causing me to yelp. I saw Renji's eyes widen and gulp.

"Get off her, you lecher!" Tatsuki gave the girl a swift kick to the forehead.

"Tatsuki!" I cried out. I bent down to help the poor girl up.

"I dreamed of this day!" she exclaimed and I smiled, playfully rolling my eyes.

"There's a bunny..." Rukia pointed out and she began to drool.

"Hey, let's separate! We should enjoy the festivities of our own accord!" Chizuru suggested.

"Good idea. I'll take Chad, Ichigo and Rukia can go together..." Tatsuki began.

"Behind the dumpster..." Mizuho said in between coughs, warranting her a glare from them.

"And I can take Orihime!" Chizuru spouted.

"Like hell you are! She's with me!" Renji announced. I saw Renji about to butt heads with her and from that moment, I felt flustered. I felt a sense of pride knowing Renji was a bit jealous for even the simplest things.

"Bullshit! She's with me! Right, princess?" Chizuru gleamed at me hopefully.

"He's right. I'm sorry, Chizuru. I came here with Renji." I pouted.

"Damn!" Chizuru snapped her fingers, kicking the floor. "I'll go with Keigo."

"If you can drag him away from the fox." Ichigo nodded over to Keigo who was already badgering the rest of the costumed people.

"WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? TELL ME WHAT THE FOX SAYS!" Keigo was already screaming at the top of his lungs.

"We should go to the game booths," Chad recommended bluntly.

"Okay, let's go." Tatsuki started dragging the behemoth with her.

"I guess we can go to... uuuhhh... Rukia? Oh no..." Ichigo started making his way to where Rukia was pestering someone dressed as a bunny, leaving Renji and I alone since Chizuru and Mizuho already went their own way.

"So... where do you want to go?" I asked.

"I don't care. Anywhere." Renji shrugged. I dug into my handbag and pulled something out.

"We might need these!" I held up two objects to his face and Renji blushed.

"Why?" Renji snatched them from me. They were condoms.

"Oh, crap!" I grabbed them from him and held up tickets. "I meant these!"

"Sure you did." Renji smirked.

"I'm being serious!" I covered my face to shield my embarrassment.

"We could go behind the dumpster," Renji joked.

"Ew! It stinks there!" I smacked his arm.

"I was kidding!" Renji rubbed his arm. I smiled and gave him a hug.

"Besides, we can go behind the kissing booth. There's an alley where no one can see us," I whispered to his ear.

"How do you know this? Your last fuck buddy took you there?" he said playfully but I was actually offended.

"Um, no? You're so stupid." I began walking away from him.

"I was kidding! Orihime!" Renji stood there but I wasn't that mad. I sent him a text.

_6:55PM You were my first. :)_

I turned around to see him check the message. When he did, his eyes went wide and he began slamming his thumbs to reply back.

_6:55PM Really? No way!_

I chuckled and sat down on a bench and began replying. Looks like we're going to start texting one another.

_6:55PM Yes. I've never been with anyone in my life._

_6:56PM I find that extremely hard to believe._

_6:56PM Why do you say that?_

_6:56PM Look at you! You're probably the most beautiful girl in school and you have a body of a goddess! And you're so nice to everyone! I thought you were experienced!_

_6:57PM ... Try again. -.-_

_6:57PM Okay. Well, you're thre most desired girl in school. I wake up surprised everytime I see you lying next to me._

_6:58PM How come?_

_6:58PM Like I said, you're the most beautiful girl in school. You're too good for me and I find it hard to believe I was your first. _

_6:58PM I thought Rukia was the most beautiful girl in school..._

_6:58PM Compared to you? No. I don't see how you haven't dated anyone._

My heart stopped. He called me more beautiful than Rukia? She's with Ichigo, the guy who I've been in love with for years so if he didn't notice me but Renji did, what does that mean? For years I felt like second place because he never noticed me. I thought I had a nice body. I mean, guys like huge tits and girls who have an ass, right? But everyone was afraid to talk to me but not afraid to talk to her. I know Rukia better than to judge her as promiscuous but why was I more intimidating to ask out? I saw all of my friends being asked out on dates but I always got stuck handing out chocolates to everyone. Yet Renji saw the beauty in me. I don't get it? And why is my heart racing? Oh, God. What's wrong with me? I looked up and saw Renji sitting on a bench just staring at me. I felt myself melting in his eyes. He's so handsome...

I shook my head and began to text.

_6:59PM I'm not beautiful. You're just saying that._

_6:59PM You are. Trust me._

_6:59PM Nobody had the courage to ask me out on a date or even said things like that to me..._

_7:00PM Their loss. Not yours._

_7:00PM You're just saying that for the sex, huh?_

_7:00PM What? Hell no! I could've been having sex with anybody in the world but I never did!_

_7:00PM But you said yes to me when I asked to be FWB._

_7:01PM Yeah, well, you were comfortable enough I thought I was lucky. So I went for it. And I don't know, you feel good._

_7:01PM I knew it. :p_

_7:01PM I mean you feel good. Meaning I feel better when you're around me. You don't have to do anything to cause that._

_7:01PM Really?_

_7:01PM Yeah_

_7:01PM I like you._

_7:01PM Heh. So out of curiosity..._

_7:01PM Yeah?_

_7:02PM You could have had any guy in the world but you chose me? Why?_

_7:02PM I don't know. It felt right. _

_7:02PM Yeah? Awesome._

_7:02PM Thank you._

_7:02PM For what?_

_7:03PM For noticing me. For having the courage to be with me. And the discipline to stay with me._

_7:04PM You're welcome, princess._

_7:04PM Thank you for making me feel special... even if we are just FWB..._

_7:05PM There's an old tale about Zabimaru. A monkey would stare at the moon but no matter how much it tried, it would never grab the moon. Then it would see the reflection in the river and it would jump, leading to its demise. _

_7:05PM You're so poetic..._

_7:05PM When I'm with you, I don't have the courage to jump. I just howl at the moon, praying for my fangs to reach it. And it won't._

_7:06PM Why do you say that?_

_7:06PM Because you're out of my league. And I don't deserve you._

I smiled. I looked up at Renji. He had a winter jacket on with baggy jeans. It was snowing earlier so we decided to warm ourselves. He had a crimson bandana on his forehead and goggles on top of it, and he was using his lap as support, sitting all bad boy-like. I had a white winter jacket, jeans and winter boots on. My ear muffs kept me warm and I saw heat coming out from my breath.

_He doesn't deserve me? What does he mean?_

I looked to see Ichigo and Rukia happily sharing cotton candy and for once I didn't feel jealous. I started seeing how plain Ichigo looked and Rukia was still pretty. But when I pictured Renji, I couldn't stand the thought of him ending this relationship. I couldn't stand the thought of him on top of another girl. I was feeling needy. I saw Tatsuki and Chad, and how Tatsuki would steal glances at Uryuu while he was talking to some of his fellow club members. I didn't want to end up like her. Maybe I wanted something more with Renji but I'm too afraid to ask him. I didn't want to scare him off. Guys are wolves looking for a piece of meat and I didn't want to be just a fling with him. Suddenly, I felt excited. And for a while, all we did was stare at each other until Renji approached me. He leaned close to me and kissed me gently. I felt the warmth of his lips as I placed my hand on his cheek. When he let go, I smiled, slowly opening my eyes. I drown everytime he does that.

"Hi..." I whispered.

"Hey." Renji caressed my neck. I pulled out the two condoms.

"I think that alley is pretty empty."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

Renji grabbed my hand and we began to jog past the kissing booth, bumping into a few people. A minute or two later, when we entered the alley, we saw a couple just leaving the area. Renji and I just stared blankly but I giggled after seeing the girl blushing. They just got done with the deed and when they left, we let out a laugh. We went deeper past the dumpster and Renji saw a used condom on the floor. I made a face and we went further before we made it to a darker corner. After checking the empty corners to make sure the coast was clear, Renji walked up to me. I hastily unbuckled his pants and he made sure to not waste time removing mine. He started pressing his lips furiously to mine so I returned the favor, his hands moving around my entire body as his right hand went inside my jacket, squeezing my breasts. I dropped his underwear to see him fully erect, and I slowly began kissing his member, licking it all over before I put his head inside my mouth. I could hear Renji gasping from my actions before I took him all in. Slowly, I began to move him in and out of my mouth, and I started to feel wet. A few minutes in, and I felt the taste of his pre-cum dripping on my tongue. Then I started to quicken my pace before I resumed focusing on the head, my hand gripping his shaft as I squeezed. I felt him grabbing my hair, slightly pulling it as I tugged on him. The only sounds then were the slurping sounds I made on him and his raspy breathing. His other hand started fondling my chest and I felt my nipples beginning to harden. After what seemed like an eternity, I felt him unload into my throat and I swallowed it. The taste was really bitter, almost acidic but tolerable. I got up, still rubbing him and I stopped being surprised at his unbelievable stamina. He had the endurance of Hercules and I was dying to have him inside me.

"You like that, baby?" I asked him softly as his tongue invaded my mouth.

"You do it so good, baby..." He groaned.

"Yeah?" I felt accomplished knowing I can make my man hit the spot.

"Yeah... your turn..."

"What..."

He started kissing my neck as he continued to grab on to my breasts before one hand made its way to my stomach as he started rubbing me. I threw my head back as I felt goosebumps begin to accumulate, and a tingling sensation stirring inside me. His fingers entered inside and he began making circular motions when I felt something strange, something too foreign. It took me a moment to realize I was laying down on a soft bed of snow when I picked my head up to see him buried on my womanly regions. Then I felt him licking on my sensitive spots. This was new! I felt his tongue flick so rapidly that I felt like I was going to die. Then his tongue inserted itself inside and he began sucking on my flesh so passionately that I wanted to scream. I pulled on his hair when he began to make zig-zag motions with his tongue before assuming an unorthodox approach, his patterns becoming too unpredictable for me to bear. I felt my insides beginning to pulsate from my hips to my thighs and a warmth overflowing. I was beginning to contract and my back was arching, begging for him to go deeper and he did. My moans were now uncontrollable and I didn't care if anyone heard us. I felt my muscles spasm as I started getting hits of tingling sensations all over my body. When it finally stopped, I opened my eyes, feeling hot all over my face. I felt Renji tower over me, and I looked down to see him still aroused. And so was I.

"How was that?" he asked slyly.

"Oh, my God... you have to do that to me more!" I exclaimed, earning a chuckle as he began kissing my chick.

"Anytime, my queen..." Renji smirked, helping me up.

"Looks like you still want more." I tilted my head coyly, giving him a seductive gaze.

"I do. I want every inch of you..."

"I can do that..."

He kissed me as I tugged on him, rubbing his shaft and his head as I started sucking on his lower lip. We paused for a brief moment and I quickly equipped the condom on him. He turned me around and slowly inserted himself inside me, causing me to gasp. I spread my legs while I propped my hands on the wall to maintain balance while both of his hands grip my ass. He started thrusting slowly before moderating his pace. I felt him going in and out, and I began to contract again as my body began to send signals all over. I leaned back and he slightly pulled my hair as I tried to regulate my breathing. His cock started expanding as my vaginal walls began to pulsate when he kept hitting the very end. I felt an orgasm beginning to build so my breathing became more rapid, my moaning getting louder. He started going faster as I felt him leaning forwards, both hands fondling my exposed breasts. I kept hearing my ass slapping against his hips as he continued to thrust and by now, my legs were beginning to give away. I felt a chill erupting and I sure as hell know it wasn't from the cold. I felt him breathing near my ear, hissing in pleasure as I began wrapping myself around him involuntarily, almost constricting me. He started grunting harder as a sign he was about to blow but I came first. I shrieked.

"Oh, God! Fuck!"

"Yeah? You like that?"

"Yes..."

"You like that cock inside you?"

"Yes..." I said in between breaths.

"That's a good girl! Oh, fuck yes!"

"Yes, baby... I'm a good girl..."

"You're my girl..."

"Yes... oh, yes... I'm your girl..."

"Oh, yes... fuck yes..." I'm about to come again.

"Fuck me, Abarai!"

"Fuck yeah, I am, baby!"

"Oh, yes! Fuck me harder! It's all yours, baby!"

"Yeah? Damn right, this pussy is mine!"

"Of course, baby! It's yours! It'll always be yours!"

"I just want to fuck the shit out of you!"

"Please do it! Oh, my God! Don't stop!"

"I want to keep doing this to you!"

"Yes! Yes! Please! Oh, YES!"

"I want to do this all day with you!"

"You can! Oh, God! I love how deep inside you are! Oh, yes! I love your cock!"

"Fuck yeah, you do! God, I love your pussy, Orihime! It feels so good!" Fuck. When he said that, I was about to orgasm. Again.

"I'm going to cum! I'm going to cum!"

"I want to cum inside you..."

"Please cum inside me!"

"You want that? Yeah?"

"Yes! OH, SHIT! I'M CUMMING! FUCK! I'M CUMMING!"

"FUCK!"

I couldn't hold it anymore. One after another, I felt orgasm after orgasm. And I knew he did, too. He took a few harder thrusts before he stopped. I opened my eyes and felt light headed. I turned around to see his legs shaking just as bad as mine. We were still panting and even though it was cold outside, I felt warm. I brushed my hair away from my mouth when I saw him pulling out the condom. Large amounts of semen started dripping when he held, and he disposed of it far away from us. Before we put our clothes back on, I felt another pulsating wave hit me. I wanted more. So I grabbed his cock and started tugging on him. I can tell he was still pretty sensitive because he gasped at my action. I set him down and I began to put all of him inside of my mouth. I heard him breathing hard so I locked eyes with him. He saw what I was up to and I could tell by his expression he approved. I maintained eye contact and he threw his head back. When he was erect again, I mounted him, carefully sliding his cock inside me again. I bit my lower lip when I saw his face. I closed my eyes when he entered me completely. His hands grabbed both of my breasts and he started squeezing before he got up and placed his mouth on one of my nipples. I moaned hard, and I felt something dispersing inside me. I realized we forgot to put protection but it didn't matter. I wanted to come again. So I started moving back and forth as his member rubbed inside me while I started to engage in a vigorous pace. I started to gyrate my hips and I smiled when he threw his head back. I adjusted my position, picking my body up as I descending unto him again. I began slamming softly on him as I felt his member viciously insert inside while he kept groping my ass, occasionally grabbing my bosom. After a while, I leaned forwards and started nibbling on his earlobe as I utilized my hips to bob up and down. All we could hear was the sound of flesh colliding and our moans. He gripped tightly on my ass when he started to take control. I got up and I realized another wave of orgasm beginning to hit me. Then... I began moaning louder and louder as he thrust himself deep into me. I saw his face: it held the expression of fury but not the type where he was angry but hungry for more. I closed my eyes as I felt muscle spasms inside and began constricting him within my vaginal walls. I cried after I came again but then, I felt myself about to come right after. And I did. Wave after wave. I was already spazzing out and I couldn't control it. Every thrust just instigated orgasm after orgasm. I was about to pass out when he was going full force, and his breathing hastened. Then at last... I felt liquid splash inside me. Three bursts of thick liquid. And to be quite honest, it turned me on. We both stopped and took a breather but he never left me. I leaned my head against his chest with one hand gripping on his jacket while he started grasping for air.

"You came inside?"

"Yeah..."

"We still have one condom left..."

"Oh, shit!"

"It's okay..."

"But what if you get pregnant?"

"Then I get pregnant?"

"Fuck. This is my fault."

"It's fine! Just... lay still..."

"Shit. That felt good, though."

"Yeah..."

"Orihime?"

"Yes?"

"That was good." I giggled, kissing him on his lips as I got off, feeling his dick slipping out and even that felt _so _pleasant. I looked down and I started dripping on the snow with his sperm.

"**You** were good," I said. I felt my insides with my fingers and it was so sticky because of him. I looked at my fingers and held it to him, playing with his would-be kids. I smiled. "Yep. This is your doing." I'm not sure how many orgasms I had but I'm also not sure how many _he _had.

"Holy Lord. I love cumming inside you."

"I should probably get contraception."

"What's that?" He and I started to get dressed.

"The pill?"

"Pill?"

"Birth control. It prevents me from getting pregnant."

"Oh. Why do you want to get that?"

"Because I want you to cum inside me from now on," I said softly to him, kissing his lips.

"Oh, I like that."

"I can tell him."

"Let's get out of here."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being amazing."

"No way, thank _you_ for feeling so good. I could get used to this."

"Yeah, no."

"From you, of course!"

"Uh-huh. Sure." I giggled as he held me close as we began making our way out when we saw two new faces enter.

"Oh, shit. Renji. Inoue. Uh..." Ichigo stammered. Rukia blushed when she saw us.

"Hey," Renji replied. I smiled, not because I wanted to show off but because of the man holding me.

"Ichigo... look..." Rukia pointed behind us and we both turned around. My eyes widened.

"... condom..." Ichigo said. "Did you guys..."

"Give it a rest, would ya'? I'll let you be the judge of that." Renji scoffed. I turned around to see both of them stare at us.

'Ten out of ten,' I mouth to Rukia and she smiled. I used both hands to display all ten fingers then I used my hands to describe his length while making a face. Rukia blushed and Ichigo scratched the back of his head.

Before we left their sight, Renji tossed the last condom over to them without turning back.

I just died and went to heaven.

_8:15PM_

"Hey, where did you guys go?" Tatsuki questioned us. Evidently, everyone got done with the games and decided to eat.

"We were... around," I responded with an unnecessary laugh. She gave me a knowing glare so I stopped but I couldn't stop my mouth from smiling.

"What did you guys do?" Momo inquired. She was licking on an ice cream cone.

"We went around. Geeze," Renji replied. He had a better poker face than I did.

"Orihime," Mizuho called out to me.

"Yeah?" I turned to her. I think I was giving myself away because everyone gave me questionable stares.

"Your pants. They're soaked. Near your crotch." She pointed and I looked down.

"Oh, I accidentally fell on the snow. Silly me!" I bumped my own head.

"Hey, I'm going to get food. What do you want?" Renji turned to me. He had both hands in his pockets and he adopted that bad boy persona again. I was flushed.

"Anything is fine. I'll just share with you." I started swaying too femininely as I spoke.

"Eh, okay."

"What?" I realized they kept staring. Some of them were giving me piercing stares, some smiled and the others kept blunt expressions. Namely Byakuya and Hitsugaya. Oh, and Chad.

"You guys are doing something, aren't you?" Tatsuki finally piped up. She furrowed her eyebrows at me and I was feeling interrogated.

"N-no! What are you talking about!" I felt myself being surrounded by everyone.

"You smell like sweat, shame and sex. Yeah, definitely sex. I can smell soul reaper all over you." Matsumoto winked at me.

"Huh!" I feigned a look of surprise.

"Sis. I don't care what you do or who you do it with. But I hope you're careful." Tatsuki shook her head as she sighed.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, sis!" I pouted and folded my arms.

"Look. You don't have to hide it. Plus, I see the condom wrapper on your boots." Tatsuki pointed downwards.

"What!" I looked down only to realize I had been duped.

"Hah!" Tatsuki spat. She had both fists on her hips. The girls started squealing while the guys looked at each other with the exception of the Gotei officials.

"Geeze... so what... I'm an adult..."

"I know but I'm only looking out for you. Look, you and Pineapple Head have been close for years so I'm not saying he's a bad guy. But just be careful, okay?" Tatsuki gave me a weak smile as she placed her hands on my shoulders.

"I will. I'm going to get pills later!" I grinned.

"I don't mean that."

"Huh?"

"She means you should be cautious because sharing something sexually is very intimate. Be advised of all the hardship that comes with love," Byakuya interjected, shocking almost everyone. I mean, he is pretty noble even in the human world.

"Love?" I tilted my head.

"You do love him... right?" Tatsuki raised an eyebrow at me. The others leaned in and waited for my response.

Hold on! Love? Wait one second here! Let's re-evaluate this...

I had been in love with Ichigo for YEARS. No, a DECADE. And right now, he's fucking Rukia! I initially asked Renji to be my friends-with-benefits to kind of get back at him and make him realize I'm a way better option. I made him food. I tried to comfort him. I bled with him! He came to rescue me! But why wasn't it returned? I'm just having sex with Renji, that's all! Besides, everyone pretty much said that casual relationships are usually devoid or have minimal emotions. So I was just waiting for him to be available! Right?

It's just Renji, anyway.

Renji.

_Abarai Renji._

I looked over to see him talking to a girl from our class. I glared at her. Everyone knew she had a hard crush on him. And I saw her laughing at something he said and I felt irked. But then she started touching his arms. He had his hands full and he seemed indifferent with that. Then she laughed again. This bitch is flirting with him.

"Hey! Orihime!" Tatsuki called out to me but I ignored her. I didn't hear anyone talking to me. I'm going to strangle this girl!

I walked over to them with my fists balled up. Who the fuck does she think she is? She thinks she can walk up to any guy and chat them up? Touch them? Does she not have respect for anyone? For herself? I mean, look at her! It's blistering cold out here and the slut thought it was wise to wear a low skirt and a low-cut shirt that barely covered anything! Does she really believe that by accentuating those tits and shaking her ass would make her feel special? I mean, look at her chest! They're so massive that I could see them from where Ikkaku and Yumichika were and they're on the on the other side! Does she think she can get any guy to bend to her every whim because she flaunts she looks like a ho? And more specifically, Renji? Who the fuck does she think she is, thinking she can steal him from me? Fuck if I'm going to let her be up all over him! Hell no!

I approached my destination when Renji saw me. He smiled so the girl turned over to see me where he was looking hers faded. I grinned at her. A feral grin.

"Hey, I got takuyaki. Orihime?" Renji gave me a quizzical look.

"Hi," I said to the girl.

"Hi," she replied weakly.

"Ayane, right?"

"Yeah, and you're Inoue."

"Yeah, he's with me, so..."

"Okay...?"

"We're going to go, so yeah." I grabbed Renji and began walking when I heard her disgusting voice.

"What's with the attitude, Orihime? It's not like he's your property."

"Huh?" Renji was baffled. And I got irritated.

"Look. He came here with me."

"Yeah, and? It's not like you own him."

"Did I say I did? No. But he's with me. He wants nothing to do with you."

"What the... I was just talking to him!"

"Yeah, 'talking'. Touching him and giggling? Get real."

"Whoa, skank, calm your tits. I wasn't making a pass at him. And even if I did, it'd be over for you anyway. So later." She turned around as she tried to sass me. Hell no. She is not having the last word.

"Look, bitch," I grabbed her and turned her around forcefully to face me. "He wouldn't even want to be with your stupid ass, slut. You aren't the baddest chick here so stop acting like you are and grow up. And back off."

"Take a chill pill, ho. I don't even have to **try**. Any girl can do better than you- with all your fake, dumb brained ideas getting in the way. Trust me, any girl can take your man." Ayane smirked.

"Hey, wait a second!" Renji piped up.

"Especially Rukia." Ayana crossed her arms as she was joined by her squad of uptight whores and their male cronies. Some of the bitches even did a z-snap as a way to confirm things.

"HEY!" Renji shouted and it looked like he was about to go through Armageddon with them but I stopped him from pulverizing them prematurely.

"What the fuck did you say to me?" I closed the gap to where I felt our chests pressing against each other. A crowd surrounded us and from my peripherals, I could see the Gotei officials observing as my friends gathered behind me.

"Especially... Rukia." That was it.

I threw a fist to her nose with an intent to break her cranium. She flew back and I saw her bleeding. She recovered and lunged at me, tackling me to the ground, and next thing you know, we were rolling on the snow, pulling and scratching, yelling at each swipe as I felt my nails sink into her skin.

"You bitch! You ugly bitch!" Ayane screamed. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Like hell you will." Tatsuki grabbed her, holding her in a vice grip with the sleeper hold.

One of the guys tried to come to her aid but met Chad's powerful fist, launching him into the air where he splashed down on a frozen fountain. Then it became a full brawl. Tatsuki disabled Ayane before she picked out another target. Uryuu tackled someone approaching her from behind when I felt large arms dragging me out. I looked up to see one of the guys grab hold of me but Renji quickly disassembled his clothing before laying down a flurry of punches on him. I got up and grabbed Ayane's hair, dragging her all over the floor. My shin got scraped but I didn't care. I saw Rukia roundhouse someone trying to come near me as Ichigo joined the fray. I saw friends mixing with foes and others getting involved. I kept smashing Ayane's face to the ground but it didn't do so much damage since the snow got in the way. Kenpachi came out of nowhere, falling from the skies, obliterating several objects in the process and knocking down several students. Then the fight was broken up when the captains interfered, with Kenpachi restraining about ten or more students.

"That's enough! All of you!" Kensei ordered. He started eyeing everyone but he kept his stare at me for a second. "I don't know _who_ started this but I don't want to end it. If you want us to shut this festival down, please- carry on. We'll send you all home in body bags! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" Kensei was fuming so much that I could see steam coming out from his jacket.

"I strongly advise you to move on. Apologize if you're mature enough. Just remember- if this happens again, I will unleash that fiend at you." Byakuya pointed at Kenpachi who sat on a pile of students with Yachiru on his shoulders.

"Ken-chan loves to fight so be careful!" Yachiru giggled.

"If you bitches want to battle, come see me. I WILL FUCK YOU UP!" Kenpachi laughed.

The crowd segregated and I started wiping the blood from my lips. Renji grabbed my chin to take a look but I turned away.

"I'm fine," I insisted.

"Bullshit. What the hell is going on, Orihime?"

"Nothing..."

"We aren't doing that shit again, are we?"

"Ugh. Fine. I got jealous. Everyone knows she likes you and I didn't appreciate the fact she was flirting with you."

"Flirting? She was asking me about homework and why I put hot sauce on the food! She thought I was being weird!"

"What! That whore!"

"Yeah, I told her that it's what you liked when she was **about** to go away before you kicked her ass. Which was awesome, by the way."

"Oh... I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. But I think you owe Ayane an apology."

I turned over to Ayane glaring at me before she shook her head.

"Yeah, give me a few days."

"You don't have to worry about me, Orihime. You got me. Yeah?" I smiled.

"Yeah..."

"Hey, Inoue!" a voice called out to me. I turned around and saw one of our classmates wrap his arm around me. "What's a pretty body like this doing all alone, eh?"

"Um..." I began but a second later, he was hoisted up and thrown into a trash can before being rolled down a flight of steps.

"Try it again, you piece of shit! BAN-" Renji entered a battle stance but was halted by Byakuya.

"Senbonzakura... Kageyoshi," he called out coolly. I saw a singular blade rising to meet Renji's crotch. "Enough. Now."

"Yes, sir!" Renji gulped.

I started too laugh as our friends started to surround him. They started teasing Renji, calling him a temperamental ape and I found it hysterical. That's when it hit me. He gets jealous, too. Then I felt my phone vibrate so I pulled out it. It was a text message from Tatsuki.

_8:31PM Yeah. You do love the guy. _

I turned around to see her give me an acknowledging, maternal smile. I walked over to her and gave her a hug, which she returned by hugging tighter.

"Thanks for looking out for me, sis..." I whispered.

"You know it, brat..." she said, caressing my hair. I pulled away as we exchanged smiles as I began wiping tears from the corner of my eyes.

Renji saw the way I stared at him as both Tatsuki and I held hands like siblings. The group approached us and we all sat down together, with me feeding him.

_You're something, Pineapple Head. Extraordinary. An extra-terrestrial._

_To be continued..._

_**Next Chapter: Roar, Renji.**_

**AN: **I'm not too familiar with writing love stories or any kind of lemon so bear with me.

"You have the right to bear arms!" Orihime gleamed, holding out a pair of bear arms.

"Inoue..." Renji stammered. "Those aren't bear arms... they're Komamura's arms..."

"Uh oh..."

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_I stared at her as the moon reflected off her perfect, milky skin and she lay on the bed, partially covered by the blanket in our hotel room. She was perfect. Still is. She could have had anyone in the world but she chose me. I felt her fingers travel around my body, admiring my tattoos and worshiping it silently. I was flattered she loved the sight of me. I bent down to kiss her and when I pulled away, I felt time freeze. This- I want this for eternity._

_"I don't know what it is about you, but you have no idea what you do to me..." she whispered._

_"I hope that's a good thing."_

_"Yes... it is a good thing..." she smiled, and I placed my palm against her cheek. Then I heard an explosion. "Renji!"_

_"I'm on it." I got up, and grabbed my zanpakutou. "Ban... kai!"_


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four: Roar, Renji_

It's almost the end of the school year. I was just barely surviving classes but it didn't bother me. I already had a back-up plan: go back to working as the executive officer for my division. I was taking a stroll around my barracks during the holiday break so I had ample time to train to my full extent. I mean, I don't mind the restrictions because it made me work even harder but I liked unleashing maximum potential when I can. The others would come by periodically to get stronger, too. We got lucky that a tropical storm hit so Ishida estimated the duration for our vacation would be considerably longer. Thankfully, it wouldn't as devastating as the tsunami was but people are still being cautious.

Within minutes, I approached my own office. The barracks were pretty empty save for a few members going about with their daily tasks. Captain Kuchiki was attending a meeting between captains so that left me to handle all of the remaining paperwork. I opened the door and upon seeing it, I see Orihime sitting outside where there was a little pond. I approached the window to get a better view and I noticed her hair had grown by a few inches. She was brushing her long strands of hair that seemed to cascade just above her buttocks. God, she was so beautiful. I went to my desk and saw the abundance of papers needed to be taken care of. When I sat down, I started reminiscing...

_Flashback to two months ago..._

Orihime and I were already accustomed to one another's presence. We fought like normal couples, we kissed like they did, made love the same way... but what we had was extraordinary. I found out she had been in love with Ichigo for years but I was never bothered by it. When I brought it to her attention, she was shocked I knew but she assured me she was over him. Of course, she got mad when I confirmed I had feelings for Rukia because the length of me knowing her was longer than her being in love with Ichigo. So I took her to a hotel that day. The group and I were on a field trip with Kensei to cover the history of old as dirt shinobi. I got bored because most of our commanders outlived them. We got assigned to do a report about feudal warlords and after the day, I rented a hotel with my paycheck. We made love for hours and it was amazing. When we finished, all we could do was stare at each other.

"You're something else, Pineapple Head..." she whispered, clamping her palms on my face as she lay on the bed.

"You're amazing." She smiled at this.

I felt a little uneasy because I suddenly detected a fluctuating wave of reiatsu nearby. And it felt ominous.

"Renji?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Her eyes shifted to concern. I grinned.

"Hell yeah." She giggled as I kissed her forehead, our fingers intertwining.

I stared at her as the moon reflected off her perfect, milky skin and she lay on the bed, partially covered by the blanket in our hotel room. She was perfect. Still is. She could have had anyone in the world but she chose me. I felt her fingers travel around my body, admiring my tattoos and worshiping it silently. I was flattered she loved the sight of me. I bent down to kiss her and when I pulled away, I felt time freeze. This- I want this for eternity.

"I don't know what it is about you, but you have no idea what it is you do to me..." she whispered.

"I hope that's a good thing."

"Yes... it is a good thing..." she smiled, and I placed my palm against her cheek. Then I heard an explosion. "Renji!"

"I'm on it." I got up, and grabbed my zanpakutou. "Ban... kai!"

That's weird. I didn't transform. I felt a tap on my leg and when I turned, Orihime was holding up my Soul Badge. I felt dumbfounded for a second. I forgot they issued us new badges so we can transition from mortal to Shinigami without the awful restrictions we once had. They still limit us, but not as bad as the previous times we were. Orihime chuckled when I made a face and before I activated the device, she grabbed my manhood, putting the entirety of it into her mouth. I gasped and felt her slowly bobbing up and down, slurping sounds filling the silence of our room. Asides from my panting, of course. She swallowed me completely before slowly going up to the head, sucking on it before removing her mouth from my member. I looked down to see her give me a seductive look, jerking my manhood a bit. She smiled mischievously as I gripped my weapon.

"Come back if you want more, tiger..." she whispered. I gulped.

"Hell yes..." I activated the badge and I was quickly transformed into my Soul Reaper form. "Okay, let's do this!" I put my headphones on- yeah, we have those, and I bought mine from the shop next to the one where I buy my sunglasses-, and immediately it was playing Heaven Tonight by HIM.

I took one look at Orihime and I saw her give me a weak smile and a wave. I smirked and lowered my visors. I dashed out of the room, soaring through the town when my visors started locating the source of energy for me. I started making my way to the region and when I arrived, I saw a group of figures cloaked in black. I stopped, holding my guard and I noticed Momo was being held by one of them, presumably their leader. She seemed to be knocked out which only fueled me even more. I placed my hand on the body of the blade, allowing reiatsu to surge through my veins.

"Howl... Zabimaru!" I cried, activating my Shikai.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" I heard a familiar cry.

A devastating black wave of energy in the shape of a crescent moon hit a few of the opposition and it was not long before I was joined by Ichigo and Rukia. I looked down to see him in Bankai form already, so I wasted no time and hurled my Zabimaru at the leader, only to have the blade deflected by what seemed to an appendage. I looked and realized a Shikai can only do so much, so without hesitation, I utilized my Bankai. After performing the incantation, I felt a powerful force hit my abdomen and when I tried to recover, my vision was blurry. I heard the sound of yelling and hits being made. I rubbed the back of my head and saw the impact was strong enough to make me bleed. A second later, I saw Rukia crash a few meters away from me. I snarled, levitating from the ground at an accelerating rate when I used my Hihiou technique at one of the cronies. It was enough to send him careening away from me but I got blind-sided by a hulking enemy. I held my composure and begged, no, **prayed **my endurance wouldn't fail me and was powerful enough to continue the fight. I saw Ichigo struggling with a few tailing behind him. As the larger man tried coming my way, I heard a familiar, maniacal laugh followed by Kenpachi smashing the enemy's face. Within minutes, more of them started appearing and Kenpachi made no time to waste by going full speed at them. The music changed to The Hell Song by Sum 41 and soon after, Ikkaku and Yumichika ran from behind me to enter the fray. I heard an explosion and when I looked up, I saw Kensei single-handedly taking four of them. I looked to Ichigo and he was brought down by the leader who was soon squaring off with a combination of Hitsugaya and Chad, who seemed strong enough to use his Fullbring to do enough damage to actually hurt him. I realized after witnessing Rukia and Ichigo use reiatsu based attacks that they're actually weak to physical strength. Yumichika started using his zanpakutou as a melee weapon when he realized this so I resumed fighting.

"They're weak to physical attacks, Renji! Hit them hard!" Kensei ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

I found a target. It was a female and she had a trident-like weapon which she tried to pierce me with. I felt my blade collide with hers but I had another weapon in hand. With swift movements, I shifted positions and fluidly moved my foot towards her sternum. I heard her grunt in agony, blood trailing as she descended. I followed as I saw her hit the floor of an apartment, but before she got up, I somersaulted towards her and when she saw me, I let gravity assume control when I made a perpendicular slash at her clavicle, severing several tendons and rendering that arm useless. She absconded from me but I used my Bankai to lunge at her, crushing her from the impact. Kenpachi, by intuition, felt someone flying towards him so he grabbed her ankle, spinning ferociously as he threw her where Ikkaku's Bankai met the poor woman's soul to seal her fate. Before I could smirk, I felt a body hit me and upon recovering, I saw it was a badly wounded Rukia. I looked up to see Ichigo's eyes glowing from a distance and he released a Getsuga Tenshou which surprisingly took a few foes down. When I got up, a few scarlet petals flew past me before a huge torrent of petals made their way to shred one of the enemy's to pieces. In a matter of seconds, Byakuya crept up from behind me, his face stoic.

"They have defense against mild attacks. Only those of our class can do serious damage. Abarai, you need to risk an opening and give them all you got," he advised.

"Understood, Captain! Orochiou!"

I glowed a menacing red while the blades became larger and serrated. I ascended, taking an enemy from the spine as I felt the bones crushing. I pushed forward, impaling a few more foes into my barbecue stick.

"Souou Zabimaru, Zaga Teppou!"

I closed my fist as a jaw of spiritual energy began to form in the visage of a large serpentine skull, crushing the poor bastards with its fangs simultaneously unleashing a blast of concentrated reiatsu that reduced the group to nothing but ash. I felt accomplished and when I went to look for more targets, my captain held a group in the middle of his Bankai, Kenpachi literally playing tennis with three as Ikkaku deflected them back to his captain, Hitsugaya freezing them with his ice dragon while Rukia lay next to Hinamori. Chad jumped up only to deliver the killing blow to another large fiend which shockingly obliterated him to pieces. Chad selected another enemy and began to unleash a large array of attacks. Ichigo was preoccupied with going head-to-head with the leader, his blade colliding with his. I joined Ichigo and despite our combined precision, the leader had little trouble taking both of us on. Yumichika tried joining the onslaught but was soon disposed of. Because of my distraction, I felt a large, painful force hit my jawline which was followed by a few more gut checks. I hit the top of building and before I was considered a casualty, Ichigo tried to bisect him but the enemy caught his blade with his bare hand. Then I saw it. This was no ordinary foe. He had a black hakama that was ragged which I assume was torn from centuries of battle. Instead of traditional zoris worn by our standards, the man had worn out steel boots. I turned my gaze upwards to see him strangling Ichigo and from underneath the black cloak, I saw a heavily scarred silver pauldron similar to the one Isshin wore that held a white hoari like he did but it seemed to have more jagged edges. His yukata was black similar to our own but the sleeves were torn, and the arm that held a lengthy, zweihander-sized weapon had black tribal markings with numerous battle scars. The hand that held the blade was bandaged and I felt an eerie terror being this close to him when I had the time to inspect his attire. After Ichigo stopped struggling, he tossed him away like a rag doll where he pierced numerous buildings. He turned his gaze on me and I saw two ominous, reptilian red eyes. His mouth was covered in bandages and upon realization, he seemed to be a former Shinigami. I looked at the inside of his shihakushou where I assumed he was a former captain and noticed the division colors. They resembled the same colors that the 1st Division had, though his entire outfit was much more elaborate.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Someone whose power you will never amount to," he echoed, a demonic voice filling the skies.

"Renji!" Kensei cried out to me.

All of the present captains tried rushing to my aid in an attempt to ambush him but before they even came close, more figures were summoned to dispose of his assailants. I saw his eyes had glowed and then I figured out that he was bringing them. They were doppelgangers who took on various shapes and wielded random levels of strength. This man's power was absolute! I saw each of them fall, followed by the rest of the Gotei. Chad managed to sneak up behind him but it was futile, as his fist barely reached the man before he rendered him unconscious. Kenpachi made one last strike where the cloaked figure met his blade with the captain's. A second later, Kenpachi fell to the ground, blood squirting from unseen wounds. How is he doing this?!

"The Gotei has become weak..." he noted. "You deserve no right to draw breath, child."

"What the fuck are you?!"

"I am the ultimate arbiter for your demise. I am the harbinger of pain. I am the true Death God! And you are merely a pawn."

"You wear our uniform and dare mock us?!" Kensei called out, holding his abdomen. He was bleeding from head to toe, warranting the laughter from this so-called Death God.

"Mock you? Why, you fail to understand the gravity of your situation. Clearly, you are delusion. I see Genryuusai has led you all astray. It's no wonder he fell from a weak Quincy." He knows what happened?

"Say that again, you freak!" Kensei lunged at him only to be caught by the Black Coffin spell. He didn't even need to lift a finger, let alone cite the incantation. What the fuck!

"Child's play," he muttered. "What happened to the vicious group I was once a part of? Lawlessness no longer rules with an iron fist. And the current Kenpachi killed the second Kenpachi yet barely had enough power to touch me. Pathetic."

_Second? Wait a minute..._

"Unohana was the first..."

"You are wrong," he said as he brought up the appendage which was a large, deformed claw. Spikes protruded from the enormous monstrosity he held. "There is a shadow in Soul Society that led to the Gotei's downfall."

"Who are you!" I demanded which only amused him more and he showed this by laughing. "Tell me! Just who the hell are you!"

"Pity. I set an example and this is what happens when I left? Such humiliation."

"You're after the Soul King..."

"Now, now, little boy. I have no intentions of usurping his position. I have bested the Royal Guard twice, and I can do it again. I have no need to rule. I am simply here to lecture you all and teach you the true meaning of fear. Fear is essential and it is a powerful agent. Until you understand these words, Abarai Renji..." he said, and as he said this, a heavily armored demonic being appeared by his side, its wings expanding to its full extent, a spiky tail semi-coiled behind him with a dreadful sneer aimed at me, his fangs bared. I saw that heat expelled from his body but not steam, bright red in the same color of lava acting as infernal markings surrounded him. He carried the same type of arm the Death God held and I realized he may be the man's zanpakutou in spirit form. "... you will lose every battle you fight in." The demon snarled, synchronizing the Death God's movements, his elongated horns which faced forwards starting to light up as both were engulfed by black and red aura. What the hell is he?

"Try me..." I gritted my teeth, trying to stand up but I couldn't. It made both him and the entity howl in jest, leaving me the only thing I could do: scowl.

"Renji?" I heard a voice. I turned around and saw Orihime hiding behind a wall, tears falling from hear eyes down to her cheeks. "Renji!" She ran towards me when saw a trail of blood falling down my face.

"NO! GET BACK!" I called out to her but she ignored me. She then held on to me in attempt to shield me from the man. I braced for death but it never came.

"So... there is love here... interesting," he whispered but I didn't hear anything malevolent but it sure as hell wasn't benevolent. "I have no need to waste such a pretty face. Maybe I can use her for my plans."

"What did you say?!" I shouted in my blind fury.

"No! Please! Leave us alone!" Orihime cried.

"You do not need to fret, child. I will not harm you. Yet. In due time, I will come for all of you. It's best you prepare for the apocalypse is nigh. Await my judgment."

He turned around and so did the demonic entity. A portal resembling a Garganta formed behind him and all I saw was chaos. It was not hell but something far worse. It was a dark void and I heard cries of agony echoing with spectral beings being thrown around inside by an invisible vortex from the vast emptiness, and I can tell she heard it too, judging from the way she held me and trembled. He turned around one more time, removing his hood. I saw a silver crown that was his hair in metallic spikes though something told me they weren't due to age. His eyes went from red to an inverted scheme as opposed to any of us had; the pupils were white while the iris were silver and his sclera and onward were black. It seemed he had a natural scowl but it didn't appear to be a way of intimidation but the type of stare one gives to emphasize a dark lesson. He was soon joined by corporeal individuals that we all fought but lost against, a total of thirteen of them... one of whom was Unohana Retsu, or Unohana Yachiru, but younger and more wild looking and the other was Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai with his youth somewhat restored. Next to him was a female with a loving smile, dressed more formal but elegant, regal to be exact. She had her hair similar to Orihime's but darker in comparison; however, she had an identical face to hers, or damn near identical and they both carried the same calm after the storm. Her zanpakutou was tied on her sash and she wore expensive looking sandals. Everyone but the leader was translucent. Was this the original Gotei?

"Looks like someone needs to train more!" Genryuusai called out to me, his arms folded.

"My, my! Renji, I thought you were stronger than that!" Unohana teased, placing her weapon over her shoulder.

"Captain..." I whispered.

"Commander, let's finish him off!" one of them requested. He had his hair fashioned like Ukitake's but he had a wide grin like Shinji's. He was about to withdraw his blade but he was stopped.

"Stand fast," the leader who was revealed to be as their commanding officer ordered. "Not yet. Our plan has yet to come to fruition."

"You're lucky, kid! The commander wants to spare you tonight! Don't think we'll go easy on you next time!" a large hulking man said to me. He resembled Kenpachi a little but he didn't have an eye-patch and his hair wasn't in rows of spikes but fashioned like mine.

"Who are you people?" Orihime inquired, her voice shaky and frightened. The female next to him smiled and approached her, casting a spell on the both of us. I felt light headed but the pain diminished.

"We are not what you think, my little one. In time, you will understand everything," she said in a maternal tone.

"Izayoi, we need to leave," the Commander called.

"Yes, darling," she replied, which made Captain Unohana make smooching noises at her. This caused her to respond with a death glare that caused a few of them to back off but it seemed to only thrill Unohana even more. She must be the original Kenpachi...

Within seconds, an army of doppelgangers formed around them that seemed to outnumber the entire Gotei 13. I realized that these were the ones we had beaten, not the officers in front of us. How are we going to stop this? We'll be annihilated!

"Wait! Izayoi!" Orihime called out, making all of them turn around. "What do you want from us?"

Izayoi smiled. "Peace." I was confused. _Peace? This was their idea of peace?_

"Through superior firepower," the Commander answered. "War."

"Commander? I apologize if this offends you but..." Orihime started.

"Spit it out, child," Captain Yamamoto demanded, startling her.

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to know... may I ask... who are you?" Orihime bowed, hoping to earn his respect. I saw his face hadn't changed and when he unwrapped the cloth from his mouth, I saw an older, mature yet youthful version of Isshin, Ichigo's father. Was he... Ichigo's ancestor?

"Hitokiriken Jinpachi Yaburi Zarubari. The first Kenpachi." _WHAT?!_ "And the founding commander of the Gotei 13."

_THIS GUY WHO LOOKS LIKE ICHIGO WHO'S PROBABLY MARRIED TO SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE ORIHIME IS THE FIRST COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE ORIGINAL GOTEI 13?! THE MOST POWERFUL GENERATION?!_

"But I thought..." I began but I was cut off by Yamamoto.

"That I was the original leader? I was a founding _member_. Boy, you have a lot to learn!" Yamamoto scolded.

"History gets rewritten over time. And some things weren't meant to be revealed but at a cost, and it cost you all dearly. But I will change the direction you are all going," Jinpachi added.

"You will understand one day, Abarai-kun," Izayoi smiled. "And you, Orihime. You will be the deciding factor for the future one day."

"I am?" Orihime gasped.

"Yes." Izayoi turned to join the rest of the group but she turned around one more time. "My name is Izayoi of the Juushirou clan."

_Juushirou? _And then I saw it. Several snowflakes imprinted on the robe she wore with her hoari with symbols written, presumably denoting her heritage and position in her family. She was a noble!

"Farewell. For now," Commander Jinpachi warned.

With that, the group left into the void, dark laughter filling the air before closing. The army disappeared when it did and I fell back. I couldn't help but ponder if that was an ancestor of Ichigo's because he looked just a bit older than him yet younger than Isshin. Not to mention Izayoi, who was in the same family tree that Captain Ukitake belonged to, looked like Orihime. But Inoue didn't have any Shinigami blood in her. Or did she? I turned to her and realized she had been crying. She hugged me gently enough to avoid hurting me but I passed out. A week later, I woke up in her house. Apparently, she hadn't left my side and the others were recovering. I even saw Ishida's father, Ryuuken, and Isshin talking to her about my medical condition but they said I would be fine. When I came to, it took me hours to calm her down.

_Flashback ends_

I just finished my report but I had one more meeting to attend to. It required all commanders and their adjutant officers present. I got up to stretch and saw that Orihime was still combing her hair. I joined her and when she sensed my presence, she turned. I gave her a grin and I noticed she began to admire me in my uniform. I adjusted myself next to her and felt her head lay on my shoulders. I didn't budge and just decided to enjoy the scenery. Yet... I couldn't help but be bothered by how the resemblance between Ichigo and Jinpachi was uncanny. Isshin confirmed that he and Kaien were the only members who had served in the Gotei, and Captain Ukitake wasn't aware of another family member holding a captaincy among the Gotei. Not even Captain Kyouraku Shunsui found records of any other leader asides from he and Captain Yamamoto but nowhere did it state he was the original founder. It was just mentioned that the rules changed after the first generation dispersed and that nobody assumed the position when things were altered. There was some curious things about the historical information given to us but it wasn't too suspicious. Captain Ukitake decided to go through his family records to verify her membership as did Isshin. Matter of fact, he was present.

"I don't want things to change, Renji..." Orihime said.

"Hrm?" I looked over to see Orihime had fallen asleep so I carried her to my office and placed her on a bed away from sight. I kissed her forehead and proceeded to make my way out. "Sleep well, princess..."

I began to make my way towards the meeting at the 1st Division barracks when I was joined by Lieutenants Shuuhei Hisagi and Kiba Izuru. We began discussing what we learned from me and how the 12th Division began trying to uncover any missing intel on our assailants. I found out that Kenpachi had been nearly destroyed but conscious so he was able to hear most of the conversation. That made him furious to know he did not defeat the strongest warrior that Soul Society once held. Hell, I think we sent an emissary to the Royal Guard for any information regarding the group that attacked us that night.

After what took us forever, we reached our destination and continued to the designated area. The Gotei was still in repairs from the last war so we kept our guard up. Our numbers were replaced and I was considered to become a captain, taking over the 8th Division but I kept the idea entertained yet unanswered. The doors were opened and it seemed we were all present. We joined our respective commanders and after the doors closed, Captain-Commander Kyouraku closed a rather large book. It was so old that dust flew up, causing him to sneeze profusely. He turned around, the book in one hand and an ancient relic in the other. It seemed to be a bladed piece of a halberd that held several cracks in it. The room was pretty quiet with a few coughs here and there. The Kido Corps' former captain and lieutenant were also present. I saw that Isshin was present but Ichigo was nowhere to be found. A few seconds later, Urahara emerged from the other side of the room.

"Do you know what these are?" Shunsui held both items up. The silence gave him the initiate to continue. "This is a book and this is a blade from a halberd." Several of us looked at each other, some made a few inaudible comments.

"What do they represent, sir?" Kensei asked with seriousness in his tone.

"It means that my latest novel sucked and they tried tearing it up with this thing!" Shunsui complained which caused several of us to groan, some fell comically and Lieutenant Nanao Isane smacked him with a paper fan.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?! We have a rogue group of Shinigami getting ready for war, not to mention they're well armed, well trained and they have an army of thralls at their disposal and you're here whining about how shitty your book is?!" Captain Sui-Feng (or Soi Fon if you were a follower from the beginning) demanded with an aggravated tone.

"This is an outrage!" Kensei seethed.

"Shunsui, please..." Ukitake begged.

"Moving on. We found close to nothing about the group that attacked the Karakura Special Forces team. No information whatsoever. We dispatched Ichigo with the Onmitsukidou along with a detachment of the Kido Corps to gather intelligence but we have nothing," Shunsui informed.

"I tried going through family records and while Izayoi _is_ a name present among our ranks, and we only have one female with that name, majority of her information was vague. She's generations beyond me but I don't remember ever seeing or hearing about her. I asked some of my siblings for information but they don't know anything," Ukitake added.

"Same. I came up dead when I asked Kuukaku about any members serving prior to my joining but nobody came up. I was the first to enlist," Isshin commented. "Even so, I don't think we came off from other family branches and we weren't so famous to begin with. Compared to the Shihouin and Kuchiki familes at least."

"So nothing..." Shunsui confirmed.

"We do have several things that seem a bit strange, though. I took the liberty of investigating Soul Society's records and before the Gotei 13 was formed, they were a part of another organization that was noticeably smaller than our numbers but said to have held more power in comparison to the present day Gotei. Apart from that, nothing states that Unohana was the _first _Kenpachi but she was the only one who passed the title _officially_ before the tradition began," Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi commented.

"However, Captain Kurotsuchi and I found some texts that were a bit off. While it does not state anything about any of those names serving among our ranks, let alone captains, there was an anomaly. Evidently, there was a war that was not included in any recording but some of the pieces had information that alluded to that. For example, one of the texts Kurotsuchi found involved the first generation assaulting what is only known as the _Ghost King_ and his empire. I had a hard time translating that text but that was the best I could come up with," Urahara informed.

"Ghost King? Do you mean the first batch of Quincy?" Captain Sajin Komamura inquired.

"Good question but no. That battle was barely written about but it came **before** the battle against the Quincy," Urahara answered.

"So what was the anomaly?" Captain Shinji Hirako asked.

"The anomaly was simply on how it all held several ties to an invisible war," Kurotsuchi answered.

"How did this hold ties with past and present day events?" Captain Roujuurou Otoribashi asked.

"I do believe Captain Kuchiki can answer that for you," Mayuri said, pointing at my commander and all heads went to him.

"The Kuchiki clan were heralds of the arts and it held close association with a clan long before the Gotei was formed. There was a time when life was very harsh and the Gotei regulated criminals as time progressed. However, we were subordinate to another powerful clan. The Mishima clan, who had many prestigious members. It was led by Zangetsu Mishima who created the devastating Getsuga Tenshou technique and it was hereditary. It was passed down by one clan leader to another, and it was taught to two other clans: the Hattori family and the Hiryu clan. The Mishima clan were mostly filled with aristocrats who got involved with politics, acting as governors while the Hattori family served them as bodyguards. However, the Hiryu clan was formed after Kenji Mishima, Zangetsu's youngest grandson, left them. He married a commoner and from there, Kenji taught his descendants all the techniques Ichigo and Isshin know and more," Byakuya said as we paid close attention before turning to Isshin who was just as surprised. "The Mishima clan eventually lost its nobility status and the Kuchiki clan kept their records but took their fortune from the civil war they had. Kenji Hiryu kept close ties to the Hattori and Kuchiki clan for years until Kazujin Hiryu took command. He married Sakura Yaburi who had two children: Hiruyaga Hiryu, the eldest, and Hitokiriken, the youngest. He was known as Jinpachi, named after Kazujin's grandfather. The records were expelled from the main history because Jinpachi deviated from his father's original plan by marrying him off to the Hien clan, so he went back to the way the original Hiryu clan lived: with hard labor. He met someone from the Juushirou clan there and from then on, the rest was omitted from the main history. The Kuchiki clan held history as a precious jewel for centuries and even though we cut off ties with the now defunct Mishimas, we still regarded Zangetsu as a man of respect. The last of the Hiryu clan's prestige died with Mekujin, Jinpachi's cousin. We couldn't find any clear records of a Jinpachi Zarubari but this was the best we could find of Jinpachi Yaburi who went to a self-imposed exile from his clan."

"So he left the clan and now we're left with no Zarubari? We went nowhere," Kensei groaned.

"I didn't finish, Captain Muguruma. The anomaly was there. It held a great deal of interest when I looked into the family's history. The Hiryu clan was filled primarily of fighters and the Hattori clan became blacksmiths, masters of metal. They were direct ancestors to the Juushirou clan and what made me realize the association was one Izayoi Juushirou, the mother to Asuka and Hitsugaya Juushirou," Byakuya said, earning the gasps from everyone, especially from Hitsugaya who was being stared at by Ukitake. "Hitsugaya carried his father's legacy, the Zantetsuken, which had similar properties to a zanpakutou and he was known as an _Ice God_. His line carried on while Asuka's descendants learned the techniques Zangetsu knew and in time, their line expanded. Which survived within Isshin and currently, Ichigo. Zangetsu's lineage stayed strong primarily with the Hiryu clan, with Jinpachi developing a new fighting style: Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. This was where he learned the Tensa Zangetsu which was dwarfed by today's variant of it. Now you're all wondering how the Gotei fits into this, correct? I took a deeper search and what I received was alarming. Captain Shigekuni Yamomoto Genryuusai was a subordinate to Jinpachi Zarubari. They were part of a special task force dedicated to slaying sentient beings known as Hollows and because of the massacres caused by this task force, something emerged from the negative energy and it gathered colossal entities, presumably by the Ghost King. The task force had Jinpachi as one of its commanders along with his father, mother and sister, but it also had Izayoi Juushirou who was once a subordinate to Jinpachi. Izayoi was a master of kido and she can be considered the spiritual mother of the Kido Corps since most of her codes were followed up to this day. Back then, they had Squadrons. Seven of them. They were known as the Death God Squad 7, led by one Murasame Sumitomo, formed by his grandfather, Masamune Sumitomo. Murasame, whose ancestry runs through the Mishima bloodline, taught his descendant, Hitsugaya, how to master ice and bend it to his will. The combatant they were up against was the Yamata no Orochi, and like the legend, it was a demon. We recorded it as the Ghost King but we don't know why records were altered."

"So Jinpachi is here for revenge?" Roujuurou asked.

"Hardly. The Ghost King was presumably killed shortly before the Gotei was formed, with half of the Gotei being decimated but the comparison between the records held here and by my clan aren't entirely alike, with the timeline being inaccurate with one another. The only thing in common were the events that happened in those time periods, and that in itself was the curious matter Captain Kurotsuchi and Urahara found, and I assume Aizen wanted something more than to usurp the Soul King's position and could be the culprit who rewrote the records but I have yet to confirm this. I'm not in the mood to interrogate him and last I checked, he wasn't in a speaking manner with any of us. Anyway. It was said it was Jinpachi who laid the killing blow but historical records tells that no one had defeated him. The interval between the Quincy slaughter and the Orochi's empire being defeated was within the timeline but only those involved in the war against the Ghost King knew of the tale. The battle against the Quincy was witnessed by many, and the Kuchiki clan wrote about the events. I assume Jinpachi stepped down to raise his family and the Gotei had changed its protocol by then. But everything that happened after the Ghost King's defeat made an impact. Because the Ghost King was created from _killing_ Hollows, Yamamoto or his master decided to change their ways because of the severe imbalance with reality. And because the Quincy ignored this, it caused a rift, starting _before_ the Gotei was formed so we can assume it was a vendetta against Jinpachi, not Yamamoto. This would explain by Yhwach had no resistance when he tried dominating the Gotei; he called _our_ generation weak because the **original** Gotei were filled with nothing but blood thirsty savages. Back then, Soul Society was lawless. The old Gotei and the Death Squad were filled with brutal murderers. It wasn't until the Ghost King's leftovers that made them realize they had to put reality to the way it once was. That's when the zanpakutou was forged. Captain Yamamoto had to do little with the way things were because when I spoke with the Royal Guard, they didn't hold Captain Yamamoto with the same respect they did with the Soul King. I speculate that he was in equal power to them and I also assume that the reason why the five of members of the Zero Division could lay us to waste was because they may have been part of the first or earliest generations of the Gotei. What my subordinate may have seen could be an omen but our best bet would be Jinpachi may have sensed a disturbance. He could be an ally but he can also be an enemy. Those who were with him were nothing but spirits so he could be preparing to resurrect his allies. If we are severely overpowered, he could be preparing for another fight. Jinpachi wants nothing to do with us. In fact, we could only be in the way."

"That explains everything..." I said to myself.

"But what does this have to do with my son?" Isshin asked.

Byakuya nodded. "You and Ichigo are the last living relatives connected to Jinpachi. You have the potential to battle them, should they try to wage war against us. But if we are wrong... then you have the potential to become strong enough to finish what they could not. If they wanted to, they could destroy the Gotei with zero effort, and I have felt their raw power for myself. We had victory against his shadow elements but against the main forces, we barely made a scratch. I think Jinpachi and his affiliates are nowhere near their full power." Byakuya turned to Shunsui. "Sir, we need to be heavily prepared for all contingencies. We cannot risk losing Soul Society. It could be a war fueled by vengeance and if what Abarai says is true about his personality and the power he felt, then Jinpachi would disregard everything just to destroy the enemy, even if this includes sacrificing his own life and the lives of others. We aren't ready for him nor are we ready to stand up to who or whatever he is up against. We are millenniums away from even rivaling them."

Then silence filled the room with this revelation.

"Sir? What do we do?" Kira asked.

People started bickering among themselves though nobody was out of hand. Shunsui closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and he exhaled. When he opened his eyes, I saw his resolve. And realized my own possible demise.

"We prepare for war," Shunsui finally said.

_The outskirts of Soul Society..._

It had been one week since we were given the task to train for this upcoming war. I informed Ichigo about the meeting, and while we barely scratched the surface of Commander Jinpachi regarding his information, most of what we learned lay hidden in the older records the Kuchiki clan stored away and found out that almost no population remembers any of this. No one was old enough to know the tale, not even Captain Kyouraku or Ukitake. We visited the Shiba house where we saw Ishhin digging up records but found nothing; not even anything involving the Getsuga Tenshou. Ichigo and I decided to travel to a temple, which was derelict in appearance since the barren wasteland had Hollows congregate and try to prey on souls. Both of us were already in Bankai form but we suppressed most of our spiritual powers. It was part of our training to maintain our form but it required use to expend copious amounts of reiatsu. Concentration was difficult but not impossible.

"I don't get it," Ichigo said as we went up the large steps to the entrance of the temple. "I always thought the zanpakutou we are given were random. But I guess it explains why my father and I have similar weapons. I'm the closest living relative to this guy but I'm nowhere near his strength."

"What are you worried about? You always come out on top and so have I. Shit hasn't stopped us before so why now?" I assured. "Besides... she said Orihime would be a deus ex machina of some sorts..."

Orihime. I was still bothered by how Izayoi and she held an uncanny resemblance, though Orihime was more jovial compared to Izayoi who had a soft, motherly appearance. What separated them was their eyes; Orihime's were still naive while Izayoi held an appearance of understanding, of experience. Izayoi may have seen betrayal but held optimism.

"Eh, this is all confusing!" Ichigo fumed.

"Yeah..." I said, stopping in my tracks. Ichigo turned around and saw that I was troubled.

"Hey, Renji. You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"You aren't bugged by that lady looking like Orihime, are you?"

"No, why?"

"Man, I already know about you two. Rukia and I are together."

"That's not it..."

"Then what?"

"You do realize she had a thing for you for years, right?"

"Yeah, and I'm aware of you having feelings for Rukia. Or **had** feelings." Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"Then it hit me. You guys look alike but if they were married... then that means..."

"Oh. My. God. We're probably distant relatives!"

"Exactly!"

"Then she must know the Getsuga Tenshou!"

"Or more! I remember being healed by the spell the lady cast on us! And the power Commander Jinpachi had was enough to rip us apart! My body still burns just thinking about it..."

"Then she might have a fraction of their power. Orihime can heal us and Aizen did call her interesting and kidnapped her for restoring something to its original form. The key to the Soul Palace. Do you think... the Royal Guard knows something about them?"

"It's our best bet right now. I think our records hinted they associated with them but I don't know if they're aware of any ongoing secret wars."

Ichigo and I paused as the wind blew. It was bright during the day but I felt a darkening cloud surround us.

"The Royal Guard knows nothing," a voice called out to us.

Ichigo and I turned around to see someone dressed in a black kimono but he had a regal yet worn down cloak around him. He held a staff but we both saw a katana sheathed inside the cloak. This man looked like Kaien but older. Ichigo and I got into a defensive stance but the man waved us off. Within seconds, acolytes started to appear from inside the temple though they had no malicious intent.

"You'll only waste your time. Come," he invited, going into the temple with his zealots right behind. Ichigo and I followed.

We walked into the ziggurat and it was lit. We don't know how but we followed for what seemed like centuries. We took a descent via staircases upon staircases to the point where my legs were killing me. But as we went deeper, I saw more strange hieroglyphs on the walls, some writings indicating of wars that happened and apocryphas that have yet to be fulfilled. Nothing involved Jinpachi or the Ghost King's revival but there were too many to read. After what seemed to be an hour's worth of walking, a bright light flashed before our eyes. When my vision focused, I saw paradise. There was a lake, and a waterfall. There were gardens hanging everywhere that gave off an ethereal aroma. In front of us were several statues of armored warriors. Ichigo and I walked down the path and I saw creatures swimming below us. Some of these seemed too mythical judging by their size. They didn't seem disturbed so we carried on. I heard low chanting and humming, and I swear I heard some singing in the distance. This place was so beautiful that my emotions were being overwhelmed. I want to take Orihime here one day if we survive this ordeal.

"This way," the man called out to us, snapping us from our reverie. This was place was too remarkable.

We followed another flight of steps and entered a building. When we left the building, we entered another area which was larger in comparison. It was huge! Almost its own city! Then I realized people lived here. How did this place go unnoticed? More importantly, how did Hollows ignore this place? This is an entire kingdom! We followed the group to another building that seemed to be encrusted with ivory and held some foreign symbols all over. Several children ran past us but we were ignored. They weren't translucent so they must be alive. Upon entering through the double doors, we saw several shamans performing rituals. At the end of the hall was an old woman placing some herbal leaves into a large fountain. The group surrounded the device while the man walked over to the woman, whispering to her ear. She looked up and said something to him, making him leave to another room. Ichigo and I just stared into the water but we couldn't see our reflections. The water was as blue as the sky but when we looked up, it was just a white ceiling. The door opened again and the man was accompanying another. I went into high alert when I realized this man resembled Commander Jinpachi so I reached for my blade only to realize my Bankai died.

"Don't bother. You are powerless here," he noted. He walked over to us to get a better look at Ichigo and myself. "I am not the man you are looking for. Come with me."

And we did. We went behind to see a large landscape. There were several tombstones, many names foreign to us. As we approached a hill, I started to see more regal names, and some started to become familiar. We got to the top and saw a tomb. No, I saw two. And I read the names as the man walked up to the larger tomb, lighting up some incense candles and giving a silent prayer.

_Kazujin Hiryu and Sakura Hiryu._

"These..." Ichigo began.

"Yes. My aunt and uncle," the man replied, removing his cloak. "They raised me after my father died. You seek Jinpachi, yes?" He took our silence as an answer. "He is eons beyond your own power. Our clan had been prospects of war when we strayed from politics. Jinpachi was a herald of death and he is unlikely to fall by your hands. Even by you... Kurosaki Ichigo."

"How do you know my name?"

"We have watched you for many years the day Isshin became a captain to your birth... to now. You may hold the remnants of Jinpachi's strength but that's all they are: remnants. You cannot defeat this man."

"Wait, if you know he's still alive... then why is he attacking us?" I demanded.

"Attacking you insolent fools? Please, you overestimate yourselves. While I have not spoken to Jinpachi, I will tell you what I do know," he told us, standing up to his full height. This man was nearly as muscle bound as Jinpachi but his physique was smaller. "I am Mekujin Hiryu. When he led a group of warriors to battle the Orochi, something happened. I know how the Gotei the works and what they respond to. Everyone has something called a Soul Slayer, yes?"

"Right," Ichigo commented as I nodded to confirm this.

"Jinpachi never had one. At least, not when the Orochi was created. Before, they used spiritual weapons that was formed from their own will but unlike the Soul Slayers, their weapons didn't purify but obliterate souls." Mekujin took out his staff and it transformed into a halberd in the same manner Captain Yamamoto called out his Shikai. "They purged souls with their Soul Reapers, powerful weapons created by their will which reflected their strength. Jinpachi realized Soul Reapers killed anything and anyone so he tasked one of his officers to create a weapon that purified souls. This gave birth to the zanpakutou and when the organization disbanded, your predecessors, the Gotei was formed. And he called their successors Soul Reapers, a title handed down to these warriors for the memory of their beloved weapons. The difference between the Soul Slayer and the Soul Reaper is that unlike the Soul Slayer where the influence of the wielder created the zanpakutou, the Soul Reaper was its own entity. In my cousin's case, his power was bestowed by the Devil himself for he had the power to control it. If one did not have the capacity to tame his weapon, the Soul Reaper took their souls and became more powerful. Years before Jinpachi's time, his weapon acquired so much essence that it became devastating. The Orochi nearly killed him but Jinpachi's Soul Reaper called out to protect him and Izayoi by loaning him power simple minds cannot fathom. At the cost of amplified power, his sanity slowly dropped. This led to the destruction of his old group and he had annihilated all but three members; Yamamoto, Unohana and Izayoi. This was the first generation who were supposedly retired but called to arms when Jinpachi discharged himself from his captaincy. The bulk of the second generation had entered the Royal Guard or had been obliterated so the third generation and myself fought him. By then, the Gotei was much smaller and the only army we had available were clans. Most were destroyed. But it was Izayoi who led the battlefield. Her son and daughter delivered what appeared to be the killing blow, and he was dragged to the depths of hell. In time, history had been rewritten and Yamamoto suggested I lead the Gotei. I couldn't carry the heart or will to do it, not after Izayoi had hers broken. She left long before the fourth generation had been formed and by this time, only Unohana and he remained, with one of the fourth generation captains ascending a position among the Royal Guard. When Ukitake and Kyouraku filled the ranks, the Gotei only had five captains. And this was the history Soul Society recognized because order had been restored."

"Which explains why we could find almost nothing on them..." I stated.

"Precisely. You two do not know what you're up against." Mekujin turned around to stare at the tombs. "I don't know what happened to either of them but it is presumed they died."

"When was the last time you saw Jinpachi?" Ichigo asked.

"Two months ago. When you vainly interrupted his assault against the warlords of Izanami before I had the chance to speak with him. I was there to lend assistance when you showed up." Mekujin frowned as he scowled at us. "And he won both fights, too. One group flees, and the other concedes defeat. Irresponsible brats," he grumbled.

"Izanami?" I asked. _Wait..._

"Yes. They were Izanami's generals. They fled when you distracted Jinpachi's group."

"Are you talking about the old folklore?" Ichigo inquired.

"Everything that was written in tales are real. Jinpachi nearly lost his life to the Ghost King but he used his pawn to finish Jinpachi off. Which failed."

"Yes, he destroyed the Orochi and the Ghost King was killed," says Ichigo.

"Killed? Who do you think the Ghost King was?" Mekujin raised an eyebrow.

"Wasn't the Orochi the Ghost King?" I asked.

"No. The Orochi was a pawn _for_ the Ghost King. The Orochi nearly killed him but Jinpachi laid it to waste. The Ghost King was long gone before Jinpachi could strike back. So he didn't. He is trying to wage war against the Ghost King and his Infernal Army. And Izanami got in his way."

"I don't understand..." I said, my voice getting hoarse.

"The Soul King is a herald of reality. Your reality. He is just another piece to a much more immaculate pantheon. Izanami's power is tenfold compared to his without her full power. She is waging war against Izanagi and his kingdom, and Jinpachi is a herald for him. Izanagi bestowed Jinpachi with power, the Amaterasu, and he had already been in control of the Tsukuyomi. Through the Tsukuyomi he learned the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. With the Amaterasu, his power was amplified to a point where he alone represented Izanagi. Izayoi was blessed with the power of the Susanoo and they tried to destroy the Ghost King together. They came close, but Jinpachi's only option before assuming the Amaterasu's power was to seal the Ghost King and him into hell. They waged war against one another with no absolute victor but in time, they were separated to different astral planes. Jinpachi felt into chaos where Izanagi found and trained him to utilize the Amaterasu to its maximum potential while Izanami gathered her minions in another chaotic realm, devout to the Ghost King. The Ghost King was once a Hitorigami with Amenominakanushi but his pride and greed forced him to fall. They were primordial gods together born from chaos, a realm where many realities merged and disengaged, and where Jinpachi found his nirvana and his purpose, and where the Ghost King recuperated while Izanami assumed temporary control in a separate plane. Before his fall, he was known as Kunitokotachi, and he created Izanami while Amenominakanushi forged Izanagi with his own hands. When he fell from grace, he became known only as the Ghost King, the ruler of a world deeper than hell: Yomi, or the Shadowy Land of the Dead. Jinpachi tried following them beyond hell but they were separated before he could enter Yomi. In chaos, he met Izanagi who gave him power. The war he wages is between Izanagi and Jinpachi against Izanami and the Ghost King. As of now, Jinpachi and the Ghost King are in a stalemate. Neither side has true victory for the Ghost King made the mistake of tasking the Orochi to commit the fatality but he destroyed the Orochi, and the rest of the demons spawned by the Ghost King in Soul Society. While they fought in hell, they were evenly matched but the Ghost King was not at the pinnacle of his strength, and neither was Jinpachi."

_So this is an ongoing, obscure battle. Heaven versus Hell. _

"Why isn't Amenominakanushi getting involved just like the Ghost King is?" Ichigo asked.

"Because it would chaotic and the universe will be destroyed. Jinpachi is his triumph card and all the gods are using him as a fallback with Izanagi endorsing him as their champion. Jinpachi's destiny is to destroy the bulk of the Ghost King before the world would be torn asunder. His mission is to capture Izanami and condemn her personally with him serving Izanagi. But challenging the Ghost King is beyond Jinpachi's power, so he had one choice left: to revive his old allies, use Susanoo through Izayoi and collect as much power by creating a secondary Ame-no-nuboko, the Heavenly Jeweled Spear. This alone will halt the Ghost King's progress and stop the Infernal Kingdom from taking over the heavens. The first time Jinpachi tried forging this, he accidentally created the Kikouou which was sealed in the Soukyoku. He needed the Susanoo but that time, Izayoi did not unlock her power or realized it. Now he needs her at full power before he can create another halberd."

"I'm beginning to understand now..." I stated, lamenting for those who have lost their lives against the Ghost King. "But how does Orihime fit into the picture?"

"Like Izayoi, they are both exceptional healers. But Izayoi renews what is lost. Orihime restores reality by reversing time. If Orihime unlocked her potential, combined with the power Jinpachi's army musters, they can forge a new weapon which is powerful enough to ruin the world as we know today."

"How do we know he isn't going to tear us apart?!" Ichigo cried out.

"Because even someone of my caliber can do that alone. Jinpachi may be reckless to set the world in flames but he wants vengeance." Mekujin walked past us and when we turned, we saw a view of the city. It was marvelous! "You will train they way we did. I will help you unleash your potential. Ichigo, you and your father must comprehend your lineage. And I will train Orihime. Abarai, you must be powerful enough to guard Orihime at all times. We can train the entire Gotei to be strong enough for the impending conflict but you cannot leave her side. Even though Ichigo carries the last strains of the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha, you carry Jinpachi's vigor. You're the closest thing to a spiritual successor than Isshin or Ichigo will ever be."

"Wait, what?" I exclaimed, baffled by this announcement.

"Jinpachi never considered himself to be someone of importance or power, but he never had a weak resolve. He had absolution. He had conviction to protect those he loved. At the cost of his own life. He didn't get stronger to defeat his enemies or protect his friends like Ichigo did, but he did to save those he cared about. Zabimaru is the embodiment of your will, and you are the embodiment of Jinpachi's. Your degrees of love is different. For that, I commend you. You may never become strong enough compared to Ichigo who is destined to the one to fight besides Jinpachi but it wouldn't matter. I know about you and Orihime. It is similar to Jinpachi and Izayoi." Mekujin turned around, glowing a bright hue of violet. And when he stopped, I saw holographic forms of Kazujin and Sakura next to him. Kazujin and I shared a resemblance and I saw Ichigo noticed this, too! Then an image of Jinpachi flashed before my eyes...

I was back to that fateful night when a hologram of Jinpachi appeared. He didn't have Ichigo's appearance; he had mine! It was no wonder people thought Ichigo and I were cousins. He had similar tribal markings that I had. Then I saw Hiruyaga who bore a resemblance to Rukia but longer hair. Then an older Hitsugaya who I assume was Hitsugaya Juushirou and Asuka, who looked a little like Yoruichi but light skinned and long, dark red hair.

"Renji..." Ichigo stammered.

"Let me be clear, Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji. This is my family, doomed to spill our blood for your sake. I am willing to give mine up and die with them. Will you do the same for your family?" Mekujin asked with a dark tone when the images disappeared.

I nodded as did Ichigo. Then the area turned dark and I heard groans. I saw corpses rising from the grave and more vagrant souls surrounding us. Mekujin stepped closer by a few meters when his eyes glowed a dark purple and a ferocious spectral titan rose from his unsealed weapon, glorifying his prowess.

"So be it. I will teach you a power beyond your understanding: the O-Bankai."

"Bring it!" Ichigo stated, going into full Bankai mode. "BANKAI! Tensa Zangetsu!"

"Bankai..." I took the initiative when he did. "Souou Zabimaru!"

"O-Bankai! Howl Into the Thunderous Skies, My Roaring Fist!" Mekujin called and he assumed a regal samurai-like form with a dark red cape producing behind him that moved with a fluidity reminiscent to flames, as he dashed a hundred feet away with a giant halberd held in his hands, the blade twice as large and the entirety of the weapon much more elaborate. He didn't wear a helm but surges of electricity danced around this atrocity in bright purple, long, feral spikes that was his hair flowing as sparks serenaded his form. He took flight and he swung with his weapon in hand at us, the halberd creating a giant crescent-shaped blast of energy that accelerated at us at an alarming rate and was double, no triple, of what Ichigo could do but what frightened us was the fact a group of spectral titans followed after it. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

"Shit..." Ichigo and I stated simultaneously. There was no way in hell we could evade this...

_To be continued..._

_**Next Chapter: Teenage Dream, Orihime.**_

**AN:** I know some parts are a little confusing but I'll get to that later.

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_"But why me?" Renji asked._

_"Because... you think I'm pretty without any make up on..." I replied. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five: Teenage Dream, Orihime_

It's hard to believe time has flown by so fast and so much has happened. It was early in our high school years when we all went to Soul Society to rescue Rukia. And before that, she and I were friends. And despite how close she and Ichigo were, I did nothing to interfere their budding friendship-turned-sexual relationship. Up to now I have yet to figure out if they're actually into each other but it didn't matter, and I hope it doesn't matter in the future because I want more with Renji. It was so amazing how much one person can be so significant in another person's life yet it was amazing that I couldn't do anything about my previous infatuation with Ichigo.

I turn off the shower, stepping out of the tub as I grabbed a towel to wrap around my body and then wrap another around my hair to dry it. The mirrors were too fogged up from the steam so I didn't bother checking myself. When I entered the room, Renji had his hair down, looking through his laptop. Of course he wasn't putting college into deep consideration but he kept a few universities bookmarked. I walked to get my clothes and when I turned, I noticed he was shirtless. I began to admire the tattoos on his back and how much muscle definition he had. I didn't realize he had way more muscles compared to Ichigo. I mean, he's built like a gladiator but Renji was the epitome of a god! And he had much more battle scars compared to my last crush! I found myself wanting him but we have an engagement to attend to. Renji was too focused to notice my ogling him, probably filling in a report or connecting to Soul Society's network. Do they even have internet connection?

"Shower's open," I called out to him, snapping him out of his task.

"Oh. I guess I'll go shower now," he said, getting up.

And when he did, I saw him staring at my voluptuous figure, letting reality sink in. A half naked girl, one who you know is willing to get in bed with you is in your room, what do you do? Renji walked up to me and gave my breast a firm squeeze as he planted a kiss on my lips while his opposite hand gripped the back of his neck. When we pulled away, I started gasping for air. Everytime we do that, I feel my breath being stolen. He gave me one more kiss before he started walking to the shower like he owned the world. I bit my lip as I began to stare at his ass. And here I thought, guys don't have nice asses! Then again, I wouldn't know since I was too timid to check Ichigo out.

The past few months had been something else. Renji and I maintained a healthy friendship that lasted up to this day when we became close over our mutual understanding of never being with someone we cared about. Then I asked him to be my friend-with-benefits and I realize later on that we had been doing it wrong. Apparently, we were supposed to limit emotional interaction but that was inevitable. By then, we would spend weekdays at his apartment while the weekend was at mine since his place was closer to school. He would text me at work while he trained just to check up on me and it prevented me from getting bored. I went from delivery girl to pastry chef and our bakery became such a success! Ishida and Tatsuki even put aside their sour differences just to have some of our bread. But in time, I couldn't sleep when Renji would go out at night to take care of problems or when he would be assigned nightly patrols all over Karakura. Sometimes, I would cry myself to sleep because I had gotten so used to his arms wrapped around me. When he trained, I would watch diligently not only to make sure he doesn't get hurt but to see where he was slacking so I could help him improve. We would argue over silly things like who forgot to flush or who left the dishes in the sink. But we became passionate when it came to our own hobbies. I bought Renji an electronic guitar so he can practice for the talent show where he came in third; Chad was beat-boxing and he took the grand prize, treating us out to dinner. Renji took me to factory with sweets and we designed our own cake, then tore each other's clothes off in the park at night where no one could see. I remember how we were walking and he made a comment that nobody was around so we ran to the middle of the park where we remained obscured by bushes, and I pulled my pants and underwear down as I sat on him. And the time when he took me up his apartment when the sun began to set and we just watched the night fall. These things you don't do with friends-with-benefits. These things you do out of love. Everything I did for him was out of love.

When he told me Izayoi had a remarkable resemblance towards me, I looked into my family records to see if I had ties with the Kurosaki family. I found none and I prayed that night that Renji and I were destined to be together. When he began to train with the Hiryu clan, mostly Rokujin, I would sneak into the Hidden Temple (which was its official name, by the way) and make him a snack. I would heal him so he could carry on with the fight and stayed with him when he would lament on how much stronger he should be. I remember the day he was nearly beaten to death...

_Flashback_

"Renji!" I cried out.

Rokujin had six skeletal samurai warriors double his height wielding an assortment of weapons besides him, all in spectral, untamed fiery forms as he was clad in solid red armor. He held two scimitars and his hair was furious, wild and the earth moved with him. The entities with Rokujin bellowed but didn't proceed to finish him off so I ran to him, holding his bloody body against me as I sobbed. I looked to Rokujin and saw an apathetic expression and I can tell his eyes hinted disappointment. Rokujin powered down and left without a word, and within seconds, I heard Ichigo yelling before silence ensued, signifying one of his many defeats to Mekujin. The family's servants came to repair Renji and when I went to his recovery room, I waited for him until I fell asleep. The next day, he was gone so after breakfast, I saw Renji and Ichigo performing many physical drills.

Rokujin was the disciplinarian for Renji while Mekujin trained Ichigo. Both of them were observing Renji and Ichigo with talismans over their body and I can see symbols marked on their bodies, probably restricting their movements as they tried crawling hundreds of yards back and forth from the cathedral to the city square. Everytime either of them tried to pause for a break, Rokujin and Mekujin would beat them until they continued. This went on for hours before they were held down by a spell where they tortured the duo by drown-proofing them. Then when they were done, they would summon one of their apparitions to slam their bodies. The drills were to make them surrender but neither would admit defeat. When that was over, Renji and Ichigo would do light combat with each other while the two cousins would join the battle here and there to disorient their focus. When lunch hit, they had to gather large sacks of grain and vegetables to deliver at each home before returning to the Hidden Temple's Proving Grounds, a small arena where students become masters, according to Rokujin. I made Renji a plate and waited for him with a plate of my own. Rukia had been busy investigating the area so she didn't go to the Hidden Temple like we normally do. When Renji sat next to me, I waited for him to eat before I began. But he was quiet so I looked at him staring off in space. I looked in front of us before I realized that we were actually in another realm and began to question how this was possible.

"The Hidden Temple remains alive because of the leftover power Jinpachi gave to us. He sealed its presence from outsiders unless we wanted others to see us," Rokujin interrupted. He was standing behind us, still garbed in what I believe to be his Shikai form, his arms crossed. He looked a little like Ichigo but not as grouchy, and he had longer hair.

"Is Jinpachi that powerful?" I asked him.

"Yes. It has been past one thousand years and his power is still strong enough to protect us from invaders. We are in another realm. The Lost City. Or a replica of it."

"What is the Lost City?" Renji asked, snapping out of his silence.

"The Lost City was where our old clan resided before war tore it apart. It became desolate and Jinpachi used the old Proving Grounds to constantly train himself. Beyond that waterfall is a small temple leading to the Battle Grounds where warriors fought one another for entertainment. Before someone could enter a tournament, one had to be qualified as a master and have taught a school or be under the supervision of a grandmaster at a school. Jinpachi was the sole exception when he was trained by his father, and he challenged Mekujin for the title of Champion of the Gods."

"Champion of the Gods?" Ichigo asked with a mouthful of noodles.

"The Champion of the Gods was a title passed down annually for the fight we have that continued every month until the end of the year. Twenty-four warriors from many families entered for the right to challenge one another and the victor was awarded his own fortune and a chance to open up his school. Jinpachi won by default but before the battle was over, war happened. Jinpachi was the last master of the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha and would have been the first Champion of the Gods that used its truest form but it didn't happen. The fights were a tribute to Kotoamatsukami where the winner would be blessed with immortality. Ironically, Jinpachi was the one blessed by Izanagi because he was the only one who fought with passion and for love while Mokujin fought for recognition."

"I didn't think Mokujin would be so concerned with reputation," Ishida commented.

"It was more than reputation. Mekujin was seen as a weak fighter but Jinpachi didn't think that. Mekujin wanted to earn his place and at the time, Jinpachi was considered too rebellious for his word to be taken seriously even though he was technically a prince. Takehiko temporarily assumed control while Kazujin was the absolute ruler for the clan. Takehiko had a natural talent in kido which Mekujin did not excel in but when it came to Jinpachi, he disrespected the man by demeaning his association. Mekujin wanted to open up a school with Jinpachi and teach the principles of the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha to outsiders but Jinpachi was too focused on the Death Squad at the time. So Mekujin and I enlisted, and I became his 3rd Seat. Takehiko led a revolt against Jinpachi at one point since Kazujin was attempting to build the Rukongai districts with his side of the clan, leaving Takehiko responsible with the defense of the Lost City since Jinpachi disregarded nobility. Of course, Takehiko lost his life and Mekujin delivered the killing blow. The Roaring Fist. That sealed our dear cousin to the dirt."

"You have quite a mouth there, Rokujin," a feminine voice called out. We all looked but Rokujin didn't. It was Setsuka, Mekujin and Rokujin's younger cousin. She was dressed in an elegant kimono with a parasol in her hand. My God, the men in the family are handsome and warrior-like, and the women are beyond gorgeous! "I doubt Meku-sama would appreciate you revealing so much of our family history. Need I remind you they aren't here to be bored to death with your educational lessons of our family's memories, Mr. Six Faces."

Rokujin didn't budge. Asuna, another younger relative who visits us everytime we did, and I laughed. The people here had grown accustomed to our presence that even though Setsuka kept a straight face, she had nothing but comedic intent. She was an amazing fighter as well, and I am confident she can take on two captain-class Shinigami with little effort if she wanted to. Setsuka sat next to us near the edge. In front of us were the Proving Grounds and around it was a large waterfall. Beautiful, enormous birds flew in the sky, no doubt known to be extinct but didn't bother us. Seems that Jinpachi kept these creatures alive for centuries without him being here. Just how powerful is this man?

"Good day, nii-san!" Asuna waved. She was younger and she was a cleric to the religious sect so she had little to no experience fighting but she was attached to Setsuka, despite the older woman's irriation. Setsuka ignored the girl and Asuna just slumped, continuing to eat her food. I smiled and noticed Renji continuing to stare off into space.

"Baby?" I called out to him. Renji turned his head towards me but didn't make eye contact. "What's wrong?"

"I need to get stronger..." Renji whispered. "That's all..."

"You will. It takes time," I assured, rubbing his back.

"It's something we don't have." Renji sighed. It's true. Who knows when the big war begins?

"Patience, Abarai," Rokujin said to him. When I turned, I saw six of his warriors near him but he didn't budge asides from talking and blinking. "We don't expect you to surpass us anytime soon in this day and age, but we are here to teach you the principles and virtues of life... and of death."

"Why do you help us?" Ishida inquired.

"We aren't here helping you, child. We are helping ourselves. Our time has long since passed so if we were to die today, we leave you with our legacy so you may make use of it. If we didn't, we refuse to fall by anyone's blade." Rokujin turned to face our group as his eyes glow a golden hue, Mekujin walking up behind him in a more casual attire with a giant canine besides him. "I refuse to bow to anyone's will. I rather die by my enemy's blade knowing the generations after me will avenge our honor than live knowing your future is doomed by a totalitarian such as the Ghost King."

"That's why we chose to train you," Mekujin added. "So eat up. Training will proceed once you're all done. Asuna, go back home. Your mother is worried sick."

"Fine. Bye, guys!" Asuna left, waving at us which we returned gratefully. I looked to Renji, noticing some closure given to him.

"You'll be stronger, Renji." I rubbed his chin.

"Yeah... we'll all be stronger..." he repeated, lacing his fingers with mine.

"Well, I'm done! Let's get back to work, eh?!" Ichigo got up, assuming his battle stance while Renji did the same. Both were strong enough to maintain their forms and I saw their resolve.

"On a full stomach? My, you are an imbecile. All of you," Setsuk remarked. She got up and decided to follow her to avoid the cataclysm that was about to begin.

"Child's play," Rokujin scoffed, taking flight and assuming his fighting form. "O-Bankai! Bring Me Death, Bring Me War! Heaven's Drive, Sing For Me!" Rokujin was soon shrouded in golden smoke as a large serpentine creature made of minerals covered the skies. He stood at the top of its head while six samurai warriors levitated on clouds besides the creature, weapons held by each hand. The beast was large enough to devour Karakura High School and I was astonished by this monstrosity.

"Now that's more like it! Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo cried out, unleashing his signature attack as he lunged at Rokujin full speed.

"Let's go, Zabimaru!" Renji ululated a scream, following Ichigo towards Rokujin.

"HIKOTSU TAIHOU!" Rokujin called out as he pointed his blade at Renji who seemed to try to flank him while Ichigo attempted to the same in the opposite direction. I can hear Renji gasp in shock as the giant snake opened its mouth to unleash a blast of reiatsu taking the form of a cluster of meteors at Renji which were followed by colossal granite-looking mandrills. Renji tried blocking the assault with his Bankai but the primates broke through, allowing the giant meteors to repeatedly hit Renji. I shrieked when he collided with the ground but he groaned so he was still alive, thankfully.

"Renji!" Ichigo called out.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!" Mekujin called out. The blast of energy was too fast for Ichigo to react so he fell into the ravine. "You deluded fool. Attention to detail!" As he said this, Rokujin slams on Mekujin, surprising him and all of us. When I looked up, I saw Renji fire a blast of dense reiatsu at the two. Before either could react, Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou hits the duo, temporarily disabling them.

"Good job, baby!" I called out to Renji, cheering him on which earned me a thumbs up.

"About damn time..." Mekujin's voice boomed. A second later, the two rise from the depths of their would-be watery grave but this time, both of them assumed a more feral, demonic appearance. And their O-Bankai became much more ferocious in appearance. "Now you're finally hitting us."

"We're not as weak as you think!" Renji shouted.

"We'll see about that," Rokujin replied, a mocking laugh fill the vicinity. And when he said this, thousands of giant serpents descended from the skies as winged titans came from the opposite end. "No more games now!"

"What is this..." Chad whispered in fear.

"This would be my cousins finally waking up. They are giving more to the fight but nowhere near half of their power." Setsuka turned to face us, smirking. "Now we're getting somewhere."

"Is this dangerous?!" I asked, worrying over Renji's safety.

"Absolutely. But not impossible. Remember, either of them can consume Soul Society with their elements. And in order for either of them to be strong enough to fight in this war, they must understand that death is inevitable. We'll see if they have the strength to survive the night," Setsuka commented darkly.

"Renji..." I clutched my heart, feeling it drop. I heard a roar and when I turned to the direction of the sound, I saw chariots of clouds and lightning speed towards them with armored titans at the helm as cavalry with giant deformed creatures in a stampede rushing towards them were smaller but more barbaric and ape-like in appearance accompanying these vessels.

_End of flashback_

I began to put my stockings in and when I did, I stood up. My chest was exposed and I was wearing nothing but black lace panties. I wasn't fond of having a thong as an option unless I felt like being extra sexy in bed but tonight was a special occasion. I put on a matching bra that had pink butterflies on my straps before I put on a long sleeved black cotton shirt. I struggled to put my jeans on but when I did, I sat down for a brief moment before placing my shin length high heel boots on. Upon finishing this task, I started to curl my hair. By the time I got halfway done, Renji enters the room, dripping from the hot shower. I smiled which he returned to me before putting some pants on. When I got done curling my hair, he walked over to kiss my cheeks a few times while holding me, watching me apply my make up. I would steal glances at him changing into his outfit while I continued to amplify my appearance. I got up to perform oral hygiene and when I got back, I noticed how Renji had his clothes on and was just about ready to go. He had a black long-sleeved shirt on with the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows, dark blue jeans and black Converse shoes that I bought for him yesterday. He wore a wristwatch which was unnecessary and a black bandana with his zanpakutou's name written in scarlet kanji. He was sitting on the futon with his eyes glued to his phone, probably confirming the details of the location and the arrival. I went over to my bag and pulled out his favorite fragrance that he liked on me, and when he caught the scent, he gave me a smirk while I blew him a kiss. I started to gather my things together and took one last look into my pocket mirror before Renji came up from behind to inhale my perfume. I can tell from the reflection on my mirror he was intoxicated by it. I turned around and pecked his lips. I felt my phone vibrate when I got a text from Tatsuki.

_7:01PM Hey, we're heading over now, sis. Txt me when you get here._

_7:01PM Okay, see you when we get there._

We got up after I put my hair clips on and took one last glance at the house to make sure we weren't forgetting anything as I got my jacket. We left the house and oddly enough, it was snowing lightly. We saw a few couples here and there. The streets were still filled with people and I can see holiday lights decorating almost every houses, police officers patrolling the streets and some families observing the fireworks. There was a celebration happening tonight so the entire town decided to indulge with these good tidings. It was almost an interlude to Christmas. Renji and I stopped by the pedestrian stop light and I smiled when a little girl threw snow at her brother. I looked in the reflection of a car making a turn and realized how matching Renji and I were. We continued to walk after the light allowed us to in silence, enjoying the company I have with him. It has been quite some time since Renji and I got into this arrangement and I feel I got more than I bargained for. Why are good things happening to me only now?

We took a cab to go into the city and when we reached the hotel, I gave Tatsuki a text to let her know we just arrived. When we entered the lobby, I can see the group had been waiting on us. Everyone was here. There was an event commemorating the seniors and Renji was my date. We went to the ballroom where Ikkaku and Yumichika had been waiting for us. Upon entering, I realized almost everyone had been in formal wear so that left us the to be the odd balls. It didn't matter because we planned to ditch the entire event for Soul Society business.

_Later that evening..._

After dinner, the school officials planned to hand out awards to the seniors which included sports and academics. It wasn't a prom so majority of us weren't in customized tuxedos or in beautiful gowns but our group looked like we dressed as if we're going club hopping while everyone had some form of suit and tie or a decent dress on. Rukia wore a white sweater with jeans, ankle high boots and had her hair was longer so she was able to tie it up. Ichigo wore a tight shirt on that had dragons designed all over and skinny jeans. Ishida wore a button up without a tie, the first three buttons undone which part of his chest exposed but he also wore a white shirt underneath. Chad wore a comfortable looking shirt and a gold necklace with simple jeans while Tatsuki had a simple top and skirt on, a small jacket was on her seat. She and Chad came together, but it wasn't to make Ishida jealous; apparently something happened between them and we stopped making guesses a long time ago. All of the girls had their purses or handbags near them or on the table after their meal. We mostly had plates of unfinished dessert when the Gotei's officers came on the stage.

"We would like Kuchiki Sensei to present the award to the soccer association MVPs," Captain Hitsugaya called out. He was wearing a white suit with an ice blue tie. Captain Kuchiki approached the stage wearing black slacks and a vest with sakura petals on the breast-pocket.

"Settle down, seniors," he requested as the crowd cheered him on. Apparently, the Gotei officials became famous educators.

"SHUT UP!" Kensei commanded which only earned him applause. "Fuck it..."

"Hey, you guys wanna' fight?!" Kenpachi hollered to no avail.

"Fuck it. The MVP awards go to Ishida Uryuu and Tatsuki Arawa. Congratulations," Byakuya bluntly stated. Ichigo and Ishida's jaws dropped.

"It's Arisawa!" Tatsuki corrected but Byakuya ignored her.

"HOW THE HELL DID _YOU_ GET THE AWARD?! YOU DON'T EVEN PLAY SOCCER!" Ichigo demanded.

Ishida pushed up his glasses. "It appears to me that the soccer team likes me more than it does you, Kurosaki." He got up to receive his award with Tatsuki.

"Hah! Good one!" Renji hooted. I took out my phone to record the event. I was surprised our group even won anything!

"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki." Ishida extended his hand to shake Byakuya's but he kept applauding, seemingly ignoring the recipient. Ishida opened the envelope while Tatsuki held the medallions.

It read: _Tatsuki Arisawa and Kurosaki Ichigo._

"What the..." Ishida began. He looked to Byakuya who stared at Ishida whilst he continued to applaud. Apparently, the commanders have a sense of humor.

"GO AWAY, KIDS!" Kenpachi kicked them away as he began to announce the next award. "Now... for the cutest senior couple..."

We all stared blankly at Kenpachi, all of us simultaneously lowering our camera phones as the class roared with cheers. _What..._

"ISHIDA URYUU AND KEIGO ASANO!" Kenpachi beamed a wide grin.

"WHAT!" Keigo and Ishida shouted.

"Today is so not Uryuu's day," Rukia noted, earning a nod from Momo.

"This is unbelievable!" Ishida whined. Hitsugaya gave him a kick to his butt.

"Get your award!" Hitsugaya ordered.

"This night is so funny!" I said in between laughs.

"NOW KISS!" Kenpachi demanded, earning the laughter of everyone in the ballroom but he was dead serious.

"No." Ishida grimaced at the towering officer but Keigo planted his lips on Ishida, thanks to Kensei.

Our group stopped laughing and stared while everyone continued to applaud and laugh, a few giving wolf whistles. I heard Rukia and Tatsuki's camera phone's making sounds of a snap shot being made but for the most part, we just stared. When Ishida and Keigo parted lips, Ukitake took the microphone to continue giving out awards to the seniors.

_After the awards..._

The lights were turned off with the exception of the corner of the ballroom where most of the teachers and other staff members situated themselves. The Gotei officials were outside; Kenpachi was smoking with the pipe in his mouth in a conversation with Kensei who had his arms crossed as Hitsugaya made inaudible comments to their conversations, Byakuya staring at Ichigo and Rukia, Ukitaka sitting on a table with a cup of what seemed to be tea in hand, Matsumoto on the same table with a large glass of punch as Ikkaku and Yumichika sat on a separate table, Yumichika making conversation with the bald man. Shinji was manning the music booth as the disc jockey.

The music was pretty loud and a disco ball reflected wonderful colors to captivate the room, and Shinji began to play slow songs but not necessarily love songs. Ishida joined the Gotei officers outside as Chad and Tatsuki got up to dance to join Ichigo and Rukia. I grabbed Renji's hand and we proceeded to the dance floor. When we got there, I turned around to wrap my hands around Renji's neck, interlocking my fingers together as he wrapped his arms around my waist. We began moving slowly but both of us felt bored to death. It was odd that slow dancing came first but it was quickly changed when the bass dropped low. The seniors roared with cheers and we all started to get pumped up. I turned around and threw my neck back as Renji leaned close to my neck, one hand near my thigh while the other was wrapped around my neck as I gripped on both of his arms, our hips swaying wildly. We soon mixed up our dance routines and next thing you know, I started grinding on Renji. I could tell Shinji was enjoying himself because I could see the man's wide grin from the corner of my eyes.

We spent about an hour dancing but before we got to actual slow dancing, our group left when we saw that the Gotei officers were no longer present. We made it to the lobby when we saw them waiting for us but they said nothing. When we decided to continue to our merry way, Byakuya came up to Ichigo and Rukia and randomly handed them a pack of condoms, and we stared blankly at him. We walked to the elevator to head to our hotel rooms. We went to our separate rooms, Tatsuki joining Chad as Renji teased them. When entered our room, I took notice it had been prepared for us long before hand. I took off my jacket and we quickly undressed each other.

"I've been waiting for this..." I whispered into Renji's ear.

"Yeah? How bad do you want it?" he whispered back as I laughed naughtily to him.

"So bad..."

Renji and I wasted no time and the moment we were both naked, he was already completely erect. He got me on all fours on the bed and slowly inserted himself inside me. I felt light headed and he began to thrust at a moderate pace before he began to quicken it. I felt my vaginal walls constricting as it pulsated, sending tingling sensations around me. He pulled my hair which brought me to stand up, one hand squeezing my breast as he started to kiss my neck. My panting started to increase and a few minutes later, I felt an explosion erupting, sending vibrations to my entire body as I gasped loudly. Then I felt another. And another. I felt continuous orgasms propagate throughout my body that I just had to scream in pleasure which seemed to only fuel Renji's lust more. We changed positions, with me laying on my back as Renji towered above me, one leg on his shoulder while the other laid on the bed. He started to thrust vigorously as I brought my head up, moaning and breathing hard at the same time as I grit my teeth. I felt more orgasms hit me and I was having a hard time controlling myself when I felt his full length and girth hitting the right spots, his member rubbing my clit at a rapid pace. I felt him shiver and grunt as thick liquid shot inside me. He was still hard inside so I laid him down and mounted him. I inserted him slowly as I gasped. Renji started to caress my breasts as I began to ride him. I looked down and my breathing became harsh as I continued, but a few seconds later, he started to thrust upwards so I leaned into him, my head laying on his chest. He began to furiously thrust into me, my ass hitting his thighs that I began to grip the bed so hard that I brought the sheets to my mouth and I bit on it as I began to moan louder and louder before I unleashed another scream as two consecutive orgasms hit me. When I opened my eyes, I propped myself up at a perpendicular angle as I began to ride him, his erection harder than ever going in and out into my throbbing womanhood. I felt our bodies collide in sweat in our throes of passion and I could feel my vaginal fluids lubricating our groin area. I began to bob my ass up and down but before I let Renji come, I got off and started to place his manhood inside my mouth, jerking the shaft as I put him in my mouth before taking all of him in. I sped up my pace, my mouth making slurping sounds as my tongue licked his shaft when I felt a sequence of his ejaculation discharge into my mouth and because he was still erect, I mounted him again and he assumed control once more. I screamed a few times again as I moaned harder each time he thrust before I felt another wave of liquid splash into me. I got up and slowly removed myself from him and when I looked down, thick liquid dripped from inside me. I grinned at him and laid on his chest, panting as we tried to catch our breath.

"You're so amazing," Renji said in between breaths.

"You make me feel amazing," I whispered to him. I heard the sounds of fireworks exploding and when I looked outside, I saw fireworks. Renji and I both got up, quickly putting on bath robes when we went to look outside the balcony. I heard people observing the spectacles below and around us from their hotel rooms as we watched.

"What?" Renji asked. I turned to where he was facing and I realized that all of us share this side of the hotel, and judging by the way they smiled and stared at us probably indicated they must have heard everything. "WHAT?!"

I giggled, as I let his arms wrap around me. "Don't worry about them." A few more fireworks shot up and I noticed how it looked like a sakura tree. I was astonished by this display. "Pretty..." I whispered.

"Not as pretty as you," Renji whispered back to me, his cheek pressed with mine.

"Thank you," I said to him. "For staying with me this long."

"You're welcome," Renji says back to me. He held on to me tighter as a sequence of fireworks ascended into the night.

"Look! A rabbit!" Rukia pointed out as Ichigo groaned.

"But why me?" Renji asked.

"Because... you think I'm pretty without any make up on..." I replied.

"I think you're **beautiful** without any make up on," he responded as he kissed my cheeks. I gripped on his hands when he said this, feeling my heart flutter. I heard Control by Mute Math playing and I couldn't help but smile at good the night turned out to be.

"Thank you, Pineapple Head..."

He continued to hold me when we sat down to watch the fireworks and before I knew it, I was starting to doze off as more mellow music started to echo throughout the hotel. People continued to applaud and I could still hear the voice of our friends, Renji occasionally talking to them. My eyes with try to stay open but I got too comfortable that I laid my head near his neck, and before I knew it, I had slowly drifted to sleep but I was barely conscious when I felt Renji kiss my forehead.

"You're welcome, Princess..." Renji whispered before taking me to the bed where I entered a deep slumber.

_Somewhere nearby, and five minutes earlier..._

Thirteen figures stood, levitating from the ground at a high elevation near the fireworks as they explode near them, some passing through the more translucent phantoms. They were led by Commander Jinpachi who kept his gaze on the group. Nobody budged, and nobody made a sound but focused at Renji and Orihime in particular. Even though they were at a considerable distance they were able to observe the Karakura Special Forces team and Izayoi blew dusty particles from her hand which were a bright golden color that began swirling towards the hotel. One of the other members made a gesture with their hands and soon, clouds filled the sky and the moon glowed brighter. Jinpachi noticed Orihime had succumbed to Izayoi's spell where Renji took her in. He opened a portal but instead of howling agony, careless whispers that spew foreign, archaic languages filled exit the wormhole as the group entered the void, with Izayoi being the second to the last which was the commander.

"Commander, we should get going," Unohana noted. Jinpachi didn't say anything as he kept his focus on Ichigo's group so she entered their portal.

"Is something wrong, darling?" Izayoi expressed her concern but he maintained silence. She looked to the group and both noticed how Renji returned to his spot to watch the fireworks with a smile on his face. She smiled at the group's happiness. "That was us once. And we can still be together once more. All of us..."

Jinpachi began to reminisce. It had been centuries. All was stripped of him. And this was his plan. To give back.

"One day... it'll all come back to us..." Commander Jinpachi whispered to no one in particular but Izayoi heard him and smiled. He turned around to walk with Izayoi back to their chaotic realm where the Death Squad waited. The portal closed and the fireworks began to lessen.

_The next day..._

I was just getting up, yawning as I stretched when I heard an explosion a second later. I got up to seek the source of the sound and went to the balcony when I saw a winged and armored titan larger than our hotel being hit by something and what appeared to be Mekujin floating in the sky before he, too, was hit by a blast of reiatsu. A large serpent fell from the sky, followed by Rokujin. They were defeated...

"Renji..." I felt terrified after I realized he was nowhere to be found. And then I saw it. A giant skeleton with decaying flesh dressed in regal samurai armor holding a naginata next to what appeared to be a colossal humanoid goat with demonic features. The gigantic goat roared, shaking the vicinity with fear.

_Can this be... the Orochi? Or worse! The Ghost King!_

_To be continued..._

_**Next Chapter: Waking Up In Vegas, Renji.**_

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_"Renji! Renji! Hey! Where are you!" Ichigo called out to me. I could hear him call to me as I try to get myself out from underneath all the rubble I was in. _

_"Here..." I got up and Ichigo gave me a hand. I was still in Bankai mode which kind of surprised me. I looked around and in front of me lay Hitsugaya on top of a boulder, his clothes soaked with his own blood and close by were Matsumoto and Hinamori. My commander was to my left, his body covered in scars with a puddle of blood underneath him. Alpha Team is down. "Shit! Everybody is down! We're the only ones left!"_

_"Fuck!" Ichigo saw the full height of the infernal dragon as the Orochi roared at us. Skeletal warriors rose from the destruction that tore the city of Vegas apart and began to run at us. I held my abdomen, praying that Orihime evacuated Karakura from destruction. _

_"Orihime... please be okay..." I tensed myself when I saw the sky darken and numerous large pillars of ice with jagged spikes protruding descending to the floor as they spun at a moderate rate in the expanding radius while a blizzard began, the desert being covered by a blanket of snow, a mist forming that paused the skeleton army's ambush. And I saw an enormous dragon of comparable size made of ice coming our way towards the Orochi but when I looked at Hitsugaya again, he was still incapacitated. This was Bankai... but much more advanced._

_"Sennen Hyourou!"_


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six: Waking Up In Vegas, Renji._

I woke up when my phone started to vibrate, and I saw the sun was slowly rising. I rubbed my eyes and got up, and when I turned to Orihime, she stirred but was still in deep sleep. I yawned and opened up my phone. It was from Captain Hitsugaya telling me to go outside. I grabbed my Soul Badge and I noticed how it had a picture of Zabimaru's female form on it. I need to get that changed. I mean, it doesn't bother Orihime but I still find it weird how Captain Kurotsuchi used the emblem of their new spirit instead of the old one. I transformed and made my way outside where I saw a good number of the Gotei present. I also saw Mekujin and Rokujin with a detachment of their forces with them. Needless to say, I was surprised. I joined the Karakura Special Forces, hovering next to Ichigo and Chad.

"What's going?" Ishida asked.

"There has been a large influx of negative energy flowing connecting this world to ours. I managed to locate the source from our world but there has been unusual anomalies in yours. I alerted Urahara and he's investigating the source with his team in Karakura as we speak," Captain Kurotsuchi commented.

"I had a few members from our clan scout out the region and a few squadrons were dispatched to check the wormhole we found. It's similar to the one Jinpachi utilized when you first encountered him but we found no trace of him and his group. We are offering our assistance," Mekujin added. "Whatever it is can't be good, especially if it's not him we can find."

"I'll remain here with an element of my forces with Mekujin. I suggest the Karakura Special Forces go over to North America's west region and Setsuka will rendezvous with the 2nd Division at Europe with her group," Rokujin informed.

"Okay, but what about the civilian population?" Ichigo asked.

"Do what you must. You have one member still asleep, yes? You can have her and your fellow classmates evacuate what they can if anything should happen. Urahara will handle Karakura and I can send the 12th Division to spread out and begin preparing defenses. The 6th Division is currently spread out but Captain Kuchiki will join your group," Kurotsuchi ordered. "Captain-Commander Shunsui will coordinate defensive plans back in Soul Society so for now, I will keep you informed."

"We'll separate. I'll assume command for the Karakura Special Forces and we'll move to the west. Kurosaki, you will take control of Bravo Team consisting of yourself, Lieutenant Abarai, Chad, Ishida and Rukia. Captain Hitsugaya will operate with Lieutenants Hinamori and Matsumoto while Zaraki's squad will cooperate with myself," Captain Kuchiki said.

"Rokujin and I will expand our reach. Keep your guards up. Remember, we don't know what we're up against so go to Bankai mode immediately if you run into an enemy," Mekujin advised.

"Does this include Commander Jinpachi and his group?" Captain Hitsugaya inquired, and for a few seconds Mekujin kept silent. He inhaled, closing his eyes and when they opened, he held determination in his expression.

"Everyone you run into you can assume they are the enemy unless proven they are allies. Fight him if you must. Be aware that Jinpachi should not be taken lightly. You are centuries too young to get an upperhand against him and his forces," Mekujin remarked. "Be cautious."

"Even if you run into him?" I asked. Rokujin nodded.

"Even if we run into him. Jinpachi would eliminate all threats, family or not. Renji, remember what I taught you," Rokujin said to me. "You will need it."

"Very well. I'll communicate with my subordinate and relay information to you. For now, I'll return to Soul Society," Captain Kurotsuchi addressed the group.

"Let's get a move on, then! I'll link up with the 9th Division all over Asia," Captain Kensei said before leaving with Lieutenant Hisagi.

Before we separated, Mekujin stopped us. "Here," he said, handing us talismans. "You will need these. For luck." Ichigo and I took them from his hands and I noticed they were Hiryu clan's charms. Mekujin left the group and we made our way to Vegas. Before we did, I left a note on Orihime's jacket to evacuate the group and that I'd be back soon. When I was about to take flight from the balcony, I saw Chad leaving Tatsuki's room. I smirked.

"Letting your lady know you're going out with the boys, eh?" I said with jest to him.

"I was telling my fuck buddy where I'd be. It seems you did the same," he responded to me bluntly, his expression not changing. And my jaw dropped when he took off.

_Thank God Kisuke made us some devices that make us fly..._

_Flashback to the Battle Grounds_

It was the second week that Rokujin and Mekujin had been pulverizing us. We had one good hit on them but that was by luck. They increased the difficulty but we had zero improvement from what I can see. We spent this week on our swordsmanship, relying on our physical agility and endurance rather than calling out our zanpakutou. Not like we were able to anyway, because they negated the effect. We continued being drilled with combat techniques, learning a lot of different styles on our way to learn the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. Apparently there were two different styles from the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha further developed by Jinpachi: the Killing Moon and the Shadow Moon.

"The Killing Moon is self-explanatory. You learn how to fight with maximum potential with your physical abilities that become amplified by the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. It turns you into a monster, and enables you to enter Beast Mode," Rokujin said to us as we made our way to the Solar Temple. "Beast Mode allows you to assume the manifestation of your Soul Slayer and grants you more power than you can imagine on a physical scale. Long story short, if you became the Zabimaru, you would be strong enough to obliterate the Gotei 13. This you achieve in the Solar Temple under rigorous conditions."

"What about the Shadow Moon?" Ichigo inquired.

"Not yet," Mekujin says, turning to Ichigo. "One phase at a time."

"The Killing Moon is a complicated phase in itself and it normally takes centuries to fully master. Jinpachi found a way to complete this in less than a year, and our goal is to beat it in less than a month. It takes a long time to fully comprehend because it over-exerts one's spiritual consumption and is potentially fatal. I am aware you learned Bankai in three days but that is nothing. Just entering the Solar Temple itself will devour your soul alone, and I do not make light of this process. With the Killing Moon, you will be one step down to learning the O-Bankai and attaining that has destructive properties to even _learn_ it. Which is why you need to enter Beast Mode because it magnifies your power by a hundred times. In order to do so," Rokujin stated as we entered the Battle Grounds. "You need to test your strength."

"With you guys? We can't! We just got lucky!" I reminded them.

"Who said you're fighting us?" Mekujin said, looking into the colosseum.

I looked at the abandoned arena. It was easily a hundred times larger with gardens growing everywhere from years of not being maintained but the flora still gave it an ethereal effect. We went down flights of steps and before long, we realized how large the battle arena was. Large objects manifested from pillars with torches being illuminated. I saw the symbols on the ground and it had ancient writing on them. No signs of blood was embedded but I saw minor cracks on the floor. Ichigo and I jumped into the arena but noticed neither of our mentors followed suit. We were puzzled but we heard the gates opening and growling emanated from the confines of the arena.

"You will be tested. And hopefully, you will survive the fight. You will be engaging in a battle royale and believe me, the more rounds you endure, the harder the enemies become," Mekujin commented as giant minotaurs entered the arena. "Your powers will be restricted from here on in. That was the purpose of the Battle Grounds. If you survive the nearly endless battle, you will realize your potential. And you will be able to initiate Beast Mode just by fighting them. Apart from being a place where spectators can watch martial arts for their entertainment, our warriors came here to learn the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha and achieve its ultimate form: the Star Gladiator. In order to understand the O-Bankai, you will need arduous training. And this takes time. And time... is something we don't have the luxury of. Good luck."

"Shit..." Ichigo and I said simultaneously as the giants came running at us.

We ran towards a group and I somersaulted at one, grabbing one of the chains attached to its body as I used the beast to knock down several others. Ichigo tried using his new found strength but barely made any advance. He managed to catch one trying to sneak up on him so he jumped up, severing the arm of the beast. Luckily, while we cannot use our spiritual powers, we still had our Shikai activated though we couldn't unleash our special techniques. Ichigo began hacking away with his unbound speed since they were slow enough and I forced two of them to ram into each other, and I jumped off a minotaur. I saw one take notice of me so I lunged with my Zabimaru, segregating the blade with my own muscles instead of Zabimaru itself, and took control of the direction of my weapon, bifurcating some of the enemy. After a while, they fell and we thought victory was short lived but it was much shorter than that. I heard thunderous sounds being made when chariots charged towards us. There were ghastly steeds with skeletal warriors at the helm in large waves. I looked to Mekujin and Rokujin observing but they kept silent. I ran towards them but they had swift maneuvers which seemed to be much faster than we can even keep up. I decided to rely on my instincts and began using Zabimaru as a defensive weapon but each time I swung, I felt a strain on my muscles from continuous use. This was becoming a challenge for us. Was this the first wave?

"Each wave will come in right after another. You have no room for breaks," Rokujin informed us. "You need to be able to handle the fight on your own. Your only chance of winning is surviving all the rounds. Losers die."

I grunted as we took down the opposing force but after this wave ended, Rokujin's words came true when large wolves ran at us at a frightening speed. One managed to scar me with its fangs but I managed to recover fast enough to behead it. What dread me, however, was how the wolves still moved even though we tore them limb from limb.

"Renji! We have to destroy them completely!" Ichigo stated the obvious.

"I can see that! Go, Zabimaru!" I shouted, repeatedly slamming the blades on one canine before I decided it wouldn't get up.

I had no time to react as another pack lunged at me. While it took me down, I managed to get away fast enough with minor injuries before sending a fist to the wolves. I felt the impact hurt my bones from the hard flesh they held. Their skin was harder than the armor of an Espada! I looked to Ichigo dodging each wolf but they were being increasingly hard to evade so we both resorted to brute force. We stayed close to each other in case we needed to give one another aid. Then it hit me: we needed teamwork. Ichigo jumped one Zabimaru when I threw the blades forward, spinning around a clockwise rotation before he got off to dissect one wolf in half. Ichigo started to pick off the ones I injured, finishing them off with his Zangetsu. When we decimated the assailants, I saw more gates open and an entire army of corpses wielding various weapons emerged. Ichigo and I got back to back when they started to run at us, groaning to devour us.

It took us an hour to finish the wave because their numbers seemed endless. I saw that nothing left the gates so I looked to Mekujin for an answer as I got on my knees, my blade planted on the ground as I panted, grasping for air. I felt pain from the wounds inflicted on me while Ichigo bent over, exhausted from the fight. This was something else.

"Do not relax yet," Rokujin advised. "The real fights have yet to begin."

When he said this, I heard high pitched howls that alerted us. We saw entities floating, a malicious face partially obscured by the cloak they wore and they had long, sharp claws that resembled scythes. Beyond exhaustion, Ichigo and I ran at the group of phantoms but they blasted us with dark energy. When I got up, I felt a heavy burn that caused me to groan in pain. Ichigo stood up, yelling at them as he swung, calling out his Getsuga Tenshou which he surprisingly administered but with a small dosage. I looked at our mentors who kept a close watch at us: Rokujin on me while Mekujin focused on Ichigo. I made a risky movement by utilizing my Higa Zekkou and when I did, Zabimaru reformed itself, surprising me. Then I realized how much I improved. This revelation gave me the drive to continue on and when we obliterated the group, I looked to see our mentors smiling when we realized we had no reason to hold back, even if our last resort was to be our demise. With my new resolve, the realm changed and we entered an astral plane with our mentors gone, and so was the arena. I looked around and saw many galaxies, many stars and nebular clouds.

"Welcome to the Star Gladiator's realm. This was developed by Jinpachi in case the enemy invaded us and he left these monsters to defend us but at the same time, train us. He used this plane to stop time and to get stronger. Here... he developed the Killing Moon to its ultimate form and he saw the birth of the Star Gladiator. Here you will enter Beast Mode!" Mekujin's voice boomed.

"I thought we have to go into the Solar Temple?" Ichigo asked.

"To learn the Killing Moon. But for entering your Beast Mode, you have to earn it here if you want to use the true Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha," Rokujin answered.

_We're fucked._

I felt a surge of energy flow through me and my wounds heal. My muscles grew as white fur covered me, tribal markings reminiscent to my tattoos covered my arms as I felt fangs grow, my hair getting more rigid and longer as black pauldrons covered with red fur appeared on my shoulders, pieces of armor beginning to appear on my body as Zabimaru took on a more serpentine appearance. Gauntlets with reptillian features were created but I saw that I was barefoot, with large talons replacing my toenails. I looked at my reflection on my blade and saw I was still humanoid but more feral. A large king cobra that I assumed to be the Hebi half of my zanpakutou's spirit slithered besides me and I deduced it was created from my Beast Mode. I looked to Ichigo who grew in mass, both of his blades larger and his hair longer, resembling his Final Getsuga but more demonic and he had no bandages on him. He roared with his new powers as a tail grew behind him and a large crescent moon appeared on his chest and forehead.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!" Ichigo shrieked, unleashing a blast of energy from his mouth as a group of winged foes approached.

"ZAGA TEPPOU!" I screamed as I lunged at the group, releasing a condensed blast of reiatsu to another wave of enemies from my claws while the serpent mimicked the attack. Both of our attacks were considerably larger than we ever mustered and I realized hurricanes began to circulate the area from the dark clouds above us, created by Ichigo's Beast Mode.

It only took us an hour into Beast Mode when we were rendered unconscious. When we woke up, Mekujin and Rokujin were having a conversation and I heard Ichigo groan as he came to. Neither of our mentors appear to have heard us so I motioned for Ichigo to keep quiet as we listened.

"They didn't last through the first wave in the Star Gladitor's realm. They're not yet ready," Mekujin spoke. _That was the first wave?_

"What should we do? We don't have time to hold their hands. Maybe this was a mistake," Rokujin replied.

"Patience. Both of them don't have formal training so it would be obvious they would have lost in that level. I know you're both awake," Mekujin revealed, neither of them turning to see us.

I got up as did Ichigo and we joined our masters. From there, they began explaining how their family operated. The Hiryu clan were natural warriors so it was easy for them to meet the requirements for the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha but to master it was a different story. The elites were able to master the Killing Moon and the Shadow Moon but only Jinpachi learned of the Star Gladiator form and master it as well as use all three with superior efficiency. He tried teaching the rest but only Mekujin was able to summon a fraction of its potential, with Hitsugaya Juushirou mastering it later in life before it died with his son, whom I speculate was our Hitsugaya.

"Hitsugaya never took his father's name nor adopted the Hiryu into his records. He never joined the Gotei but he wore an outfit similar to theirs. Izayoi was the original commander of the 11th and 10th Divisions before she left to raise her twins alone," Rokujin told us, giving us tonics to recover our strength.

"Twins?" I asked after taking a large gulp.

"They were born here in the Lost City where Jinpachi forged the Zantetsuken and the Genjutsurugi. Both weapons were Soul Reapers fashioned to the wielder's likeness and had Jinpachi's legacy embedded in them from his Soul Reaper. And his Soul Slayer. Using his Soul Slayer enabled his children to purify souls but have the same powers Soul Reapers did. Because Hitsugaya used ice as his signature element, the Zantetsuken created the Hyourinmaru dragons. And the Genjutsurugi spawned the Zangetsu and the Engetsu, but is a direct ancestor to the Zabimaru." Rokujin made a few hand seals and we entered a new dimension before going back to the past. I surveyed my surroundings and realized people passed through us. "We are nothing but ghosts here. Inside the Solar and Lunar Temples, we were able to record history with the strongest members placing their reiatsu to the temples. They did this just by breathing in their lifetime alone."

I saw how old Soul Society looked and it seemed to be much more feudal compared to our era. Shinto temples were everywhere and things seemed to be much more luxurious.

"This was Jinpachi's era where everything had prospered from one of the deadliest wars in history," Mekujin said as he began walking with Rokujin right besides him. We followed the two. "Here, clans protected the villages from demons and Hollows long before the Gotei was formed. Back then, the Death Squad were mere mercenaries before they became official but well organized. This district is near the Lost City but back then, it was known as Zangetsugure, named after Zangetsu Mishima and led by Kazujin and Sakura." They took a turn and when we did, we saw a large regal building that I assumed was their palace.

"This is where Jinpachi's old home was located just beyond this building. Here is a dojo where he trained several people but it was also used a base of operations and for internal and foreign affairs, especially with Izayoi's family. Snakes were his favorite creatures," Rokujin pointed out to a water fountain as he said this. I looked at the signs reading _District 1, School of Hiryu_ and _Foreign and Internal Affairs_ that were built on an arch as we entered the territory past a stone wall. Both signs had Jinpachi's name to identify he was the headmaster of the fighting school and the chief of operations for the more government sensitive field. There were young fighters practicing grappling moves on each other on a flat grass while children played, elder monks passing by and several adults having conversations or watching the young ones.

As we continued to walk, we saw a group of military officers led by a man in white jacket and black clothing. When we got closer, we noticed how nobody bowed to the man but waved which he returned. Then I realized who he was; in clothes similar to our captains, Jinpachi walked with his group only to be met by Izayoi who wore something similar to him. They held a conversation that we couldn't hear but heard the sound of their voice. Rokujin and Mekujin stared, and I could tell by their expressions that they missed their cousin, their brother. The officers left them and the two captains began taking the massive flight of stairs to the palace while we followed closely behind.

"I'm glad you came," Jinpachi said to Izayoi. I watched how this man walked, how this man stood. Muscular arms were attached to this giant who nearly stood at the same height Kenpachi did.

"As am I. I missed you, darling," Izayoi replied. When we got to the top, we heard students practicing and they greeted the two as we strolled to what I assume would be his main quarters behind the gargantuan sequence of buildings through a soothing jungle that contained many exotic flora and fauna; bamboo trees filled majority of the jungles and we walked on a bridge made of bamboo. I heard a spring with birds chirping in the distance when we left that realm to an open clearing where I saw a view of the mountains and in front of it led to a large building.

"They seem to be improving," Izayoi said as she held Jinpachi's hand after we lost sight of the building. "Especially Meku-kun and Fujiko-chan."

"Mekujin just became their senior instructor but Fujiko still has trouble with her zanjutsu so I'm debating on taking her under my wing since her sister is my Vice-Captain. Rokujin just enrolled and Setsuka has been stopping by with her mother. She dropped her here hours ago." Jinpachi stopped just outside of his quarters where it stood high in a separate location that had a long walk-way leading to it. When I looked down, we were hundreds of feet above the village and realized how much of a paradise Soul Society was. It was so close to heaven. When I turned to the couple, I saw them in an embrace before pulling away. "I'm getting exhausted, Yaya."

"Yaya?" Ichigo and I looked at each other. I heard Mekujin chuckle as Rokujin sat on the edge of the vast garden. Jinpachi and Izayoi sat near the sole sakura as thousands of petals began to flow in the wind.

"I can tell, Ken-chan." Izayoi giggled, rubbing the man's chin.

_Oh yeah. I forgot his full first name was Hitokiriken Jinpachi. _

I stifled a laugh as I thought of Captain Zaraki's pet name form Lieutenant Kusajishi but marveled at the region simultaneously. For a while they just sat in silence and realized he is nothing like the Kenpachi warriors after him. Maybe it was love that kept him strong. The love for her and the love for his people. We left the couple as we explored his quarters and saw how simple the place was. Nothing extravagant. Come to think of it, I think my entire room would cost more than this place but I'm sure his sock would be too expensive for me to afford. I looked outside the window and saw that Izayoi wrapped her neck scarf with Jinpachi as she closed her eyes. I heard drawers being open and noticed Ichigo checking the place. Mekujin stared off into the distance as Rokujin began reading some of Jinpachi's reports.

"Says here that Izayoi was recently appointed as a captain. Mekujin didn't enlist yet so that Natsume girl is probably his Lieutenant or to be more precise, Vice-Captain, since that was the proper term back then. I remember how annoying she used to be," Rokujin recalled, groaning that the mere thought of her. "Takehiko was acting commander of the clan in this period when Kazujin went with Sakura on a mission with their side of the clan and her family to meet with the Juushirou family. Then-Captain Jinpachi was given the task to protect this sector of Zangetsugure while Hiruyaga defended the other end with the mobility of her unit." Rokujin placed the papers down and picked up a few scrolls where Ichigo walked over to read it with him.

"What did Takehiko do in the meantime?" I asked. Looking on his shelf, I saw scrolls hung on a wall that identified his full name, rank and his command. It read: _Captain Jinpachi Yaburi, Death God Squadrons 7, 7th Division "Special Warfare Combat Application Development Detachment," Unit Commanding Officer, 1st Seat. _Under that read another title, _Kenpachi of the Hiryu Clan._ He held very high esteem and held an important position in his family. A lot of articles involving the Death Squad 7's name were laid out on his desk. _  
_

"Asides from doing nothing?" Mekujin spoke. "Nothing. He was asked by Kazujin to defend the Zangetsugure but he was an untalented pissant with dimwitted peons at his disposal who indulged in nothing but money and whores as their master did. So Jinpachi was asked by the older government officials to assume that responsibility because they knew Takehiko would have left Zangetsugure to rot. Takehiko realized Jinpachi's rising fame and grew jealous but he knew better than to attempt an assassination. He made the mistake of not training properly to rebel against Jinpachi by orchestrating a small conflict between the Rukongai villages but it failed when I responded and I killed him. As usual, Jinpachi was too focused on the Death Squad because that was his source of income."

"His pay came from them? But what about the family's wealth?" Ichigo asked. We both sat on his futon to rest for a bit but I laid down, listening to every word our mentors said to us. Ichigo followed my action since the bed was large enough to fit four of Captain Zaraki.

"Commander Jinpachi used the family's money for other things such as building this palace of a dojo and had his students live here at the price of cleaning up the place daily. His pay was used to feed himself so he always stayed here or in the barracks which is now where the Gotei 13 resides. Essentially, if you compared his pay from now to one of your commanding officers, he would be considered dirt poor. That's how simple this man was. Or still is." Rokujin turned to us and while he kept his usual serious demeanor, his eyes got wide. "They have sex on that, just so you know."

Both of us sprung up and looked at each other when the doors swung wide open. I saw the two kissing one another furiously as they felt one another up, with Izayoi closing the door with her foot as Jinpachi was lightly pushed back. She locked the doors and turned around, biting her lower lip as she eyed a much younger Jinpachi. She attacked him and we realized they started to head our way so Ichigo and I jumped off the futon. We saw her tackle him to the futon when she removed her top covered only with a type of brassier on and I was strangely feeling grossed out. I mean, this could be our great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother! Jinpachi removed his top and the four of us began to make our way out when Jinpachi stood. When we looked at the man, Jinpachi, I noticed, had so much battle scars on his incredibly muscular body, and several tribal markings were tattooed on the man. He placed a type of cover that blocked our view but it wasn't a conventional door. It was similar to one but all one had to do was tip-toe or go around the other side to check up on the two animals. Jinpachi slid more series of these covers before returning to Izayoi but we could still see their shadows. We decided to take our leave as their breathing got louder. When we left, I could see the younger Mekujin along with a youthful Rokujin heading our way.

"I remember this. I was scarred for life," says Rokujin. He saw his past self holding Setsuka's hand.

We went on our way out from the pathway when the trio entered the building, only to see their past versions fly towards a wall a few seconds later. I turned to see an angry topless Jinpachi with Izayoi covered with a blanket as Setsuka held her hand.

"Learn how to knock first, you blockheads!" Jinpachi shook his fist and I couldn't help but laugh with Ichigo. We returned to the present Mekujin and Rokujin who continued to walk while their past incarnations tried to recover from Jinpachi's devastating force. I heard the door slam which caused several students to cringe. When we caught up, Mekujin and Rokujin stared at their past, shaking their heads.

"I saw... Jinpachi-sama's... butt..." The younger Rokujin made a puking motion while the present scoffed. "My **eyes**..."

"You think _that's_ bad? I saw everything when he stood up! You ran before you saw his... sword!" Mekujin's past self shouted, several traces of his breakfast was seen dripping on his chin.

"Did you guys see Izayoi naked, senpai?" one of the disciples asked, the others beaming with hope. Both the past Mekujin and Rokujin glanced at one another before beating them to the ground.

"Have you no respect?! And no! Jinpachi's figure is too large to see anything else!" Mekujin kept a foot one of their faces. "AND IT'S _SENSEI_ NOW!" The Mekujin we know began to rub his temples watching at how arrogant he **used** to be.

"That's what she said," one of the other disciples commented. He was picked up by someone and we saw that it was Hiruyaga. She had death in her eyes as she tossed him to a wall, a large crater forming from the impact from the effortless throw while the others bowed in fear, including the two Hiryu cousins.

"T-totally worth it..." the student said with his last ounce of consciousness before he comically slid off.

"GOOD AFTERNOON, HIRUYAGA-SAMA!" they all shouted in unison.

"Where is my daughter?" Hiruyaga demanded, her eyes showing years of experience with battle. I noticed Rukia was a much youthful variant of Hiruyaga but she oddly held Hitsugaya's eye color. She had a much more curvaceous figure and her hair was semi-curly but tied up elegantly with a very expensive comb attached on her head. She wore the Death God attire and the white commanders' jacket, signifying her rank but an expensive looking fabric that went around her shoulders. A man, who I assume to be her second-in-command, held two weapons where I assume one belonged to her.

"With Captain Jinpachi," Mekujin spoke as he looked up.

"Captain Hiruyaga is Setsuka's mother. She was conceived when Hiruyaga was under a spell when she was a Vice-Captain under Captain Sakura Hiryu. Hiruyaga was seduced and fornicated with a powerful mage, and she hasn't stopped hunting for him since," the present Mekujin informed us. "Sesshoumaru was his name and he was the Lord of Destruction, a deadly enemy that hid in the Misty Mountains of Terror. She was investigating the region when she met the man but luckily, Captain Kazujin rescued her. Hiruyaga was one of the reasons why the Death Squad 7 expanded, totaling to 13 units."

_So she was raped..._

"What happened to Sesshoumaru?" Ichigo asked.

"He died with Hiruyaga but they made peace in the end. Sesshomaru continued to watch their daughter from a distance but they still waged war against one another. Setsuka never got know her father but in later years, they come to admit their love for each other before Sesshoumaru sacrificed himself when Jinpachi went berserk. We couldn't find their bodies but we made memorials for them near her parents' graves." Mekujin watched as Hiruyaga went to retrieve Setsuka who ran up to her mother's arms, giggling as they hugged. The group dispersed and the two cousins joined their elders, having small talk before going into the temple when the scene changed.

"What the..." I began as I saw we were in the same place but the entire region was destroyed, several buildings burning as screams of horror filled the once peaceful village.

"This became the Zaraki District in Rukongai. Lawless. This place became a harbor for many criminals and it was a problem for Jinpachi when the Gotei formed. And it was because this was the era... of the Ghost King," Mekujin told us in a dark tone. I looked to see Rokujin gritting his teeth so I looked in the direction he was glaring at.

I saw it. A giant. Its face was covered in darkness but three orbs glowed red, two I figured were his eyes while a third one was shaped into a slit. Large demonic hands moved around and the figure was shrouded by a dark mist, its silhouette was demonic as it bellowed as it moved. I realized Rokujin started to tremble but I heard him growl at it.

_He has PTSD. And I won't blame him._

A second later, Jinpachi landed in front of us, destroying part of the ground with his descent as he withdrew an elaborate, giant demonic-looking blade, flames dancing around the weapon. Jinpachi snarled as electricity surged throughout his form, a fiery aura surrounded him as he took flight at the colossal being.

"Shatter the Skies, My Flaming Fist!" he cried but we couldn't see the technique. A large explosion was made but it was shielded by the thick clouds.

"This was Jinpachi's first stand against the Ghost King in this world. The day he nearly got himself killed but he managed to do serious damage to him so the Ghost King retreated, letting the Orochi finish him off which failed. This caused Jinpachi to change and this was a time when Izayoi learned she was impregnated by him later," Mekujin stated, placing a hand on Rokujin to calm him down.

Izayoi arrived with a bloody Mekujin and Rokujin the same time Hiruyaga did with a squad from her command. Two members took Rokujin while the others joined Jinpachi in the fight.

"Civil war was upon us..." Mekujin remarked. Soon after, we returned back to the Battle Grounds and I felt a wave of emotion hit us hard. "I apologize. I should have warned you about the effects it can have to your neural system. Most people cannot understand the powers the Solar and Lunar Temples have so it affects them on a psychological level. We'll prepare you next time when we go to the Lunar Temple to learn the second half of learning the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha."

Rokujin helped us up and when I saw his eyes, he had fire in them. "Our history is tragic. And we only have vengeance that must be brought through you. You must become stronger. You **will**."

Ichigo and I looked at each other, and we understood through our silence. Orihime entered the Battle Grounds with Setsuka and I saw how much of her mother she had in her. I found my resolve and I found my reason. Now I need the drive to pursue completion.

I grabbed Rokujin's shoulder, pausing him in his tracks. "Tell me more about the Star Gladiator."

_Flashback ends_

We arrived in Las Vegas and we were astonished. The entire city was rotting in destruction and we saw the cause of it. A giant dragon with multiple heads breathing fire on the city. The people screamed in fright as they ran so some of us went to defend them from the enemies chasing them down while Ichigo, Hitsugaya, Byakuya and I went for the beast. I realized as we got closer that this beast resembled the Orochi we were told about in legends. The moment it saw us, it fired a blast of reiatsu which Kenpachi deflected barehanded.

"Spread out!" Captain Hitsugaya ordered and he assembled his team to flank the Orochi while the Zaraki Squad and Captain Kuchiki went down to eliminate the threats.

"Ichigo, we have to destroy those bastards!" I pointed out to a group of civilians running from demons.

"Yeah, let's go! Bankai!" Ichigo entered his Bankai form and I noticed that Chad was fending off an assault force on his own while Rukia and Ishida operated in another area, Rukia already using her Bankai.

"Bankai! Souou Zabimaru!" I initiated my Bankai as I began to fight off these waves of ghouls. I noticed how easy it was, thanks to the training we received in the Hidden Temple. I heard a vicious roar and when I looked up, I noticed how large tendrils chased after Hitsugaya as he tried to cut them with his Hyourinmaru though they kept coming after him.

"Renji!" Chad called out. "Look out!" I turned around and I got hit by a giant oni wielding a spiked mace. I wasn't bleeding but it hurt like hell! Chad came to my aid before engaging the oni on his own.

"Ichigo, behind you!" I called out but it was too late. Ichigo got hit a violent burst of reiatsu by the Orochi when I saw my own captain fall from a meteor delivered by the dragon. He fell to a building that collapsed near him, but he got up, using his Bankai to engage the enemy when Captain Hitsugaya fell in front of me, knocked unconscious as his zanpakutou reverted back to its sealed form. I lunged skyward as I went past Matsumoto and Hinamori taking a descent, only to see the Zaraki Squad nowhere asides from Kenpachi who was cutting off pieces of the Orochi as he ran around the body with his incredible speed. I scarred one of the Orochi's heads, tearing off one the horns but I felt my body collide with a heavy hit so I fell to the ground. When I opened my eyes, my vision began to get blurry but I heard Ichigo using his Getsuga Tenshou on it while Kenpachi continued to laugh. Next thing you know, rocks fall on me and my world went black. I started to dream of myself and Orihime being in a field of flowers that illuminated the night. I looked up to see an aurora in the sky when I sat next to her while she spoke inaudible words to me but I kept feeling suffocated. I heard an annoying voice but when I slowly came to, I heard its familiarity.

"Renji! Renji! Hey! Where are you!" Ichigo called out to me. I could hear him call to me as I try to get myself out from underneath all the rubble I was in.

"Here..." I got up and Ichigo gave me a hand. I was still in Bankai mode which kind of surprised me. I looked around and in front of me lay Hitsugaya on top of a boulder, his clothes soaked with his own blood and close by were Matsumoto and Hinamori. My commander was to my left, his body covered in scars with a puddle of blood underneath him. Alpha Team is down. "Shit! Everybody is down! We're the only ones left!"

"Fuck!" Ichigo saw the full height of the infernal dragon as the Orochi roared at us. Skeletal warriors rose from the destruction that tore the city of Vegas apart and began to run at us. I held my abdomen, praying that Orihime evacuated Karakura from destruction.

"Orihime... please be okay..." I tensed myself when I saw the sky darken and numerous large pillars of ice with jagged spikes protruding descending to the floor as they spun at a moderate rate in the expanding radius while a blizzard began, the desert being covered by a blanket of snow, a mist forming that paused the skeleton army's ambush. And I saw an enormous dragon of comparable size made of ice coming our way towards the Orochi but when I looked at Hitsugaya again, he was still incapacitated. This was Bankai... but much more advanced.

"Sennen Hyourou!"

A voice called out and when he got closer, I saw how he resembled an older Hitsugaya but with black hair and more muscular features. The man did not wear the same clothing the Gotei or the Death Squad did but he wore a black sleeveless yukata and a black hakama that had jagged edges and white flame-like patterns. He was as large as Mekujin but the man carried Jinpachi's physical features. When I activated my visors, I saw his full face. He had facial stubble, his hair more wild than our Hitsugaya but in black spikes, scars all over his body and Izayoi's eye color. He had a pauldron on and I realized he fashioned it the same way Jinpachi did but the material attached to the pauldron was the same fabric Izayoi used. He was covered in ice but the wings attached to him were large and had six compared to our Hitsugaya. He was surrounded by large objects in the shape of shuriken, his arms covered by a gauntlet and his legs encased with greaves made of ice.

_The Ice God... Hitsugaya Juushirou!_

I saw the ice dragon open its mouth as it roared at the Orochi before it rammed into it, the beast frozen as cracks were being made before it exploded. More giant dragons were summoned and this Hitsugaya dispatched them. Ichigo and I continued to watch the man clean up our mess and we heard Chad and Ishida approaching us.

"Rukia!" Ichigo ran up to Uryuu who held an unconscious Rukia.

"They were taken down," Chad informed, Kenpachi unconscious but he carried the man over his shoulder. He set him down and I saw how much blood was covered in Kenpachi's uniform.

"Who is that?" Ishida asked as he noticed the Ice God annihilating our opponents.

"I am assuming that to be Hitsugaya Juushirou. I could be wrong, though," Ichigo answered.

"We gotta' get these guys to safety. Come on!" I shouted as we began to get everyone away from the fight. We entered a pyramid shaped hotel and we sprawled them on the floor. We saw some people taking cover and it seemed to me that they could see us. Maybe one of the effects the Ghost King and his minions are capable of. One of them, a hotel staff, approached us.

"What's going on? Is this the end of the world?!" he asked while the others murmured something about the apocalypse.

"We don't know. All of you should stay here," Ichigo said and we were about to make our leave when a female staff grabbed my kimono.

"Are we going to die? I don't want to die..." she said as tears formed from her eyes. "I want to live!"

"Not on our watch," I assured her with a smile.

"Who are you guys?" someone else asked.

"We're the Karakura Special Forces. And we're here to save the day," Ishida told them as we left the building.

"Now what?" Chad asked as we saw Hitsugaya fending off more demons.

"Sesshoumaru, over there!" a voice we recognized as Hiruyaga's called out. We looked up and there she was, _alive_ and well, and it didn't seem she was a part of Jinpachi's group. Next to him was a man in white armor holding a giant staff. "We need to get to Hitsugaya before they overpower him!"

"Don't fret, Hiruyaga. He can manage on his own. Let's focus on the bigger problem. Like that," Sesshoumaru pointed and when we looked, there was an armada of leviathans coming their way. "Looks like Bahamut decided to join the fight."

"Let's go!" Hiruyaga commanded, Sesshoumaru right behind her.

_How are they alive? How is this possible?..._

"What are we waiting for? Let's do this!" Ichigo called out but before we entered the battle, we got sucked into a vortex and before we knew it, we were in chaos. We were in a type of hyperspace, passing through the Solar System, the Milky Way before we were surrounded by numerous stars and nebular clouds, galaxies in every direction and comets flying about. Were we in the Star Gladiator universe again? This one seemed a bit different. I saw the fires of hell engulf us before we entered a celestial plane. Then... darkness. A man dressed in Shinigami attire and royal armor approached us, his boots hitting the ground, and I saw a face similar to Jinpachi's next to a very familiar woman who resembled Lisa Yadoumaru. I addressed my surroundings and guessed we were in a type of purgatory but I wasn't sure. We just know we weren't in the same realm anymore. The man gave me a definitive stare while woman smirked. Then an entire army stood behind them.

"Kazujin..." I whispered.

_To be continued..._

_**Next Chapter: Last Friday Night, Orihime.**_

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_"Renji... how could you..." I sobbed as I stared at the doll he gave me, my tears falling on my lap as I realized mascara running down my face. I felt my phone vibrate as I held on to it and I saw a text from my date for the night._

_6:30PM I'm outside. Ready to go, babe?_

_6:30PM Yeah, I'm just making some minor adjustments._

_6:30PM Don't worry, you won't be needing your clothes to where we're going. ;)_

**AN: **I know it may be a little confusing or some stuff may be inaccurate but I'm going by memory here. My main focus is on the development of Renji and Orihime's relationship and the issues that come with it so if there are any concerns, please voice them.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter Seven: Last Friday Night, Orihime_

"Tatsuki, this way!" I shouted as I led a group of civilians outside of the hotel and away from the fight. I still had my red nightgown on that was four inches above my thighs, so I put on jeans and a black jacket with just my sandals when I started evacuation procedures.

"What the hell is that?!" Tatsuki pointed at the giant warrior clashing with Rokujin's O-Bankai while Mekujin picked off the stragglers. She was still in her pajamas. We left our belongings that we brought earlier in the day since we had no time.

"Mekujin!" I gasped as he flew past me, alerting some of the running civilian population as he began destroying smaller enemies.

"Mekujin? That's **the **Mekujin you guys have been talking about?!" Tatsuki asked. She was included in the Karakura Special Forces when I helped her develop her spiritual powers. As opposed to my "time reversal" techniques, she was more of a "time eraser."

"Orihime, get your team back up here once you're done getting them to a safe distance! We need to block them here and now!" Mekujin commanded before returning to the fight.

"Right! Okay, let's go, everyone!" I yelled as I ran in front of the group. I started to do parkour since we kept running into obstacles when I ran into Keigo and the others moving another swarm of people to where we're going.

"Tatsuki! Inoue!" Keigo called to us.

"Keep going that way, Keigo! Get these guys to safety!" I ordered as I stood on top of a cab, allowing the people to follow Keigo's group.

"What about you?!" Chizuru asked.

"We'll hold them off!" I ran back to the hotel.

"Hey, wait!" Keigo called out to us.

"Just get them to safety, Asano! I got Inoue covered!" I heard Tatsuki say before she sprinted to where I was heading.

"Tsubaki!" I summoned my Shun Shun Rikka with Tsubaki leading the group. I motioned for them to start making a defensive barrier with the Santen Kesshun.

"Right here, boss!" Tsubaki replied, floating right besides me.

"Leave this to us, Orihime!" Lily said as she began to fly further to expand the barrier with Baigon and Hinagiku.

I nodded. "Let's go, Tsubaki!" We began making our way past the barrier, running to a cliff to try getting a good view of the armored giant in hopes of finding a sensitive spot. I ran along the beach when I heard Tatsuki.

"Orihime, I'm going over to the other side! I think there's some people still trying to get away!" Tatsuki notified me while she was surrounded by eight small spirits herself.

"Okay, but be careful! Good luck, sis!" I called out to her as she took off after giving me a mock salute, two of her spirits forming wings for her to move faster.

"Watch out!" Rokujin shouted to me, crashing on the sand.

"Rokujin! Are you okay?" I ran up to him as he got up, shaking his head.

"I'm good. The back of its neck is armored but I managed to daze it after a good hit to the spine. If you can get behind it and blast a hole in its armor when it's not looking, then you can leave the rest up to us," Rokujin informed. I nodded and he returned to the fight with Mekujin.

"Let's go, Tsubaki!" I made my way to the cliff when I got surrounded by three skeletal warriors. I jumped back and began to channel my resolve, and when I opened my eyes, I felt anger rising through my veins when I thought of how much these demons had caused so much harm. I will not allow it! "Koten Zanshun! I REJECT!"

"OH YEAH!" Tsubaki flew towards them, his body engulfed in a bright light as he accelerated with a killing intent. He destroyed all three but I didn't let him stop there. I remembered all of the troubles caused to us and how much Renji was willing to harm enemies to protect those he loved, and how much work ethic he had when he trained. And how much he is willing to do for me. And now... it became my turn to do more for him. My resolve will not be swayed! I noticed how Tsubaki penetrated the giant's helm, blowing a large hole on it that seemed to force it to stagger from the heavily dealt impact.

"Good job, Orihime!" Rokujin complimented.

"Now let's finish this!" Mekujin commanded, his and Rokujin's body engulfed with their signature colors as they once again entered their O-Bankai form. I nodded.

"KOTEN ZANSHUN! GO, TSUBAKI! I REJECT!" I threw my hands forward as Tsubaki flew behind the Hiryu cousins before going straight to the giant enemy.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!" Mekujin cried, directing the blast in a large black arc towards the neck region.

"HIKOTSU TAIHOU!" Rokujin called simultaneously with Mekujin, the surge of energy fusing with the Getsuga Tenshou, combing their colors as it absorbs Tsubaki, the blast becoming larger as it glows a bright gold, taking the form of a Chinese dragon. It hits the giant demon, blowing off the torso before the rest of the pieces fall into the sea.

"Yeah!" I jumped up as I cheered, laughing gleefully. Tsubaki joined me, floating by my side as he folded his arms.

"You got stronger, kid!" Tsubaki complimented. I nodded, smiling at my friend.

"Don't celebrate just yet, Orihime," Mekujin reminded. He and Rokujin descended when Rokujin walked to get a better look of the area. I noticed Tatsuki still rescuing people and there were still swarms of ghouls in the area.

"Let's get to them before they start a massacre." Rokujin took his weapon and began making his way to assist Tatsuki.

"Pick off what you can but your main priority is to get the people to safety. I'll stay near you in case you get overwhelmed," Mekujin stated. I nodded and we both began running to the beach.

_Renji... please be safe..._

I began running to back to the people when I saw someone dressed in a miko priestess outfit with the sole exception of the hakama being replaced by a red skirt just two inches above her knees and instead of a white top, it was black with red colored diamonds and other elaborate designs. She had magatama beads worn and a naginata on her back; her hair was rather long and I noticed she looked like Yoruichi but her expression was more stern. She had black gloves with red outlines. She wore knee high socks with black sandals that geisha wore. Held on her hand was a nodachi. She turned to face me and I saw hair-clips attached to her left side of her hair, realizing now that these hair-clips were similar to Setsuka's.

"Who... who are you?" I asked. She turned, ignoring me as she withdrew her nodachi.

"Bankai!" she cried out, red light being absorbed into her blade as she raised it, the skies turning as black as smoke and red like fire. I felt the atmosphere getting scorching hot as my lips began to dry up, my breathing become increasingly difficult. I fell to my knees and recognized the same effect Captain Yamamoto had but this was strangely different. I looked up to see the skies opening up and for some reason, it turned into night. I saw meteor showers falling to an enormous enemy I didn't realize Rokujin's forces were engaging, obliterating the target. And then I saw an army of translucent colorful tigers descend that entered the fight where I was going to be heading because Tatsuki was alone. I looked to the woman and her breasts were wrapped with bandages, spiritual energy flowing from her hands and her hair had grown considerably longer, wilder as her mouth was covered by some sort of armored anti-poison mask. Her skirt turned into hakama pants that were jagged as red torrential pillars began to circulate the vicinity. "Kijin no Sairai, Genjutsurugi."

"You..." Mekujin began but was falling close to unconsciousness, mostly because he sustained more otherwise near-fatal injuries than Rokujin.

_I can't... breathe..._

"Inoue-nii-san?" I heard Asuna call to me. I fell and I felt her catch me, and when I opened my eyes, I realized she begun to cry. _She is not_ affected?

"Asuna..." I called to her weakly, gliding my palm against her cheek. She held on to me and when she looked up, the woman was staring at her. Rokujin arrived in time and even though he seemed to handle the fluctuating overflow of spiritual power, I can see him slightly disturbed by her presence. I looked at Asuna with my last ounces of strength as she tried to recognize the figure. Rokujin took note of her appearance and his eyes widened.

"Asuna! Get back!" Rokujin commanded.

"Are you...?" Asuna asked, her voice trembling.

"Stay away, child," the woman declared. "If you know what's good for you." She turned, walking away as her path burned from her reaching distance. "Roku-san," she greeted.

"Asuka," Rokujin replied. "It has been a long time." I got up. _Asuka Juushirou? Jinpachi and Izayoi's daughter?_

"Mama?" Asuna whispered.

_MOM?!_

I blacked out.

_One week later, Friday night_

I groaned as I woke up. I was in the recovery room with Asuna asleep next to me and who I thought was her mother covering her with a blanket. She was elderly yet she had a regal look. Asuna was cleric for the cathedral, training to be a miko priestess. She was already a senior member and she had enough spiritual power to become the commanding officer of the Kido Corps. The man who I believed to be her father was a paladin, a combination of a priest and a fighter, and he was one of Hidden Temple's council members and chief mentors to the cathedral. I smiled at the lady as she left and I realized how elegant her attire was. Asuna was more simple and then I began to realize the crossing resemblance between Asuka and Asuna. I got up and saw that a bowl of hot soup had been waiting for me. I heard my stomach growl so I sat up right to devour it. I looked at the calendar and realized I had been out for a week. I ate in silence and right when I finished, I heard Asuna yawning. Rubbing her eyes, she beamed a smile at me.

"Good morning, nii-san!" Asuna greeted. "Feeling better?"

"I sure am. This soup is good!"

"Really? I made it for you!"

"It was delicious. Thank you, Asuna!"

"You're welcome!"

"Asuna, can I ask you a question?"

"Eh?" Asuna tilted her head just as she was about to exit.

"You called Asuka mama. Why?" Asuna reacted by looking at the ground sadly. Nevertheless, she mustered a smile.

"I was adopted when I was a baby. I never knew my mother or my father so my father's parents took me in and I lived in the Hidden Temple ever since. I was told both of my parents died when I was small and they weren't married yet. I knew Setsuka all my life so I look up to her a lot like a big sister though she's technically my aunt. She was the one who told me about my mother as I grew and she was the only one I ever really played with. Roku-sama and Meku-sama were too busy with work and training, and I never really had any friends. People used to call me a freak because I wasn't like everybody else so I stayed home and studied a lot," Asuna said with a depressing tone. "I'm glad now because I have you guys!" Her expression quickly changed. How could she smile like that? Her family basically spills tragedy from the cracked jar of happiness.

"So Asuka is your mother?"

"Uh-huh! See!" Asuna gave me a photo of her mother when she was a young adult.

"Do you ever miss her?"

"Everyday... but I grew up with Takeshi and Sango as my parents in the Uchiha clan though I spent more time with the Hiryu family."

"She is so beautiful."

"Yeah! People say I look like her but I don't think so. She was the second most beautiful person in the Hiryu clan. Izayoi was the first and Setsuka comes in third."

"Your family must be exclusive."

"We kind of are." Asuna blushed as she began pressing her two pointer fingers together. "You see, majority of our clan fills up this village and only a small population contains outside families. We're as big as the Rukongai so we never have to worry about marrying close relatives. The main clan still holds some kind of royalty so I was kind of an outcast at school."

"I see. Do you ever venture out of the Hidden Temple?"

"Nah. We have everything here. Some people go outside to explore but nobody leaves here permanently. Plus, it takes a lot of spiritual energy to even leave the Lost City, let alone go past the Hidden Temple's gates."

"It was easy for us, though."

"Yeah, Meku-sama allowed you guys in here. It's guarded by Hospitallers. They're like wizards that have insane reiatsu but not physical fighters. Mekujin is in charge of the Hospitallers while Rokujin is in charge of the Templars."

"Templars?"

"Uh-huh! The exact opposite of Hospitallers!"

"What are Paladins?"

"They make up the Main Council, mostly Hiryu, Uchiha and Juushirou clan members but others get elected into office. They make up the government body and there's sixty-four of them. Takeshi is the chief for law. Sango _used_ to be a Paladin but she left them to become my teacher in the Holy Temple where priests are trained."

"It's like you have your own country in here!"

"Yeah-huh! I never really want to leave but you have to take me to Karakura one day!" Asuna begged with puppy dog eyes.

I smiled at her curiosity. We were welcomed by the first day. Well, they didn't harbor no ill will towards us so I was sort of happy but in time, the people came to appreciate us as one of their own. Everytime we came to the Lost City, we were greeted with enthusiasm, especially if we had Ichigo and Renji with us. They even had no hatred towards Ishida when Setsuka revealed he was a Quincy. It turns out that the population had no vendetta against anyone and the affairs of the past Gotei had were entirely separate matters. I looked outside my window and noticed a statue of Jinpachi holding his weapon up with Izayoi's. It was truly romantic to see...

"I better get going. I hope you get better soon!"

"I will. Wait, Asuna!"

"Yes?"

"Where is everybody?"

"They're around the city. Oh, except Renji and Ichigo."

"Except them? How come?"

"They're dead."

My heart dropped.

_Dead?_

Asuna left the room and the only thing for me to do was cry.

_As time continued to_ stray...

It had been a few days since I found out Ichigo and Renji's fatalities. We were joined by Hitsugaya Juushirou as he stood over the unconscious Gotei warriors. They engaged the Orochi clones that the Karakura Special Forces assumed was the real deal before he arrived and while he remained distracted by the multitude of clones and Hiruyaga took on Bahamut with Sesshoumaru, Ichigo and Renji decided to fight the **real** Orochi and it took them no less than a few seconds to fall but nobody saw the attack happen. Hitsugaya distracted the Orochi while Hiruyaga and Sesshoumaru's forces recovered the unconscious team. Ishida and Uryuu were still trying to rescue the remaining inhabitants so they were just as shocked. I walked up to Hitsugaya, noticing the resemblance he had with Ichigo and Renji due the strong DNA structures that held the Hiryu blood by a small margin though he was far more muscular. I looked as several medical personnel continued to heal the heavily injured officers. Renji and Ichigo were transferred to a special department that deals with severe trauma that ordinary, not even the high class Shinigami medics from the prestigious 4th Division, could asses.

"Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji have no indications of life within them but something is amiss. Your friends from the Gotei gathered data to investigate their condition but they're currently deceased. Hiruyaga and Sesshoumaru will oversee the operation but in the meantime, I suggest you recover and hasten your training. Our schedule has been off so far," Hitsugaya told Urahara and the hospital chief, Hatsume Hiryu. He saw me but said nothing. "Hatsume, as the director of this establishment, you need to get these people back to fighting form as soon as possible. We need to double time our plans before the Ghost King eradicates all worlds."

"On it, Hitsugaya-sama. And it's good to see you again," Hatsume replied with a bow. Hitsugaya held a hand up to tell her it was not necessary.

"Where will you be going?" Urahara asked just as he was about to leave the examination room.

"Asuna and Rokujin ran into my sister. I need to get to Asuka before Izanami does."

"What? Izanami? Why Izanami?" I asked. Hitsugaya glared but that didn't frighten me. I felt a little intimidated but I stood my ground.

"We are dealing with Izanami's demons. The Orochi was the only creation of the Ghost King that appeared. Asuka has more vengeance in her heart than anyone in our clan. She may be powerful to kill Izanami but doing so will have catastrophic results. The Genjutsurugi is a weapon capable of tearing worlds asunder. If she used the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha, she can unlock the Ghost King's realm and she could demolish our world just by the evil coming out of it."

"And how are you going to stop her?" I heard a familiar voice so I turned around to see Kirio Hikifune from the Royal Guard enter, her body slender. "What are your plans, Hitsugaya?"

"I see the Zero Division sent an emissary!" Urahara stated. Hitsugaya just stared at the former captain.

"The Genjutsurugi gets more powerful as long as its wielder feeds it with the necessary will. If she willed destruction, then hell will rain from the skies. The Zantetsuken was forged to combat evil as long as the wielder recognizes the enemy. Both weapons have unlimited energy and both have power that is only reflected by their determination and how strong their intent is." Hitsugaya stopped just outside of the room. "Your group can do nothing. Asuka needs to absorb the power of the Soul King in order to get to Izanami's palace. And nobody can stop her."

"What makes you think that?" Captain Hikifune asked and I can hear she had taken the insult in her tone.

"Because, Captain Hikifune," Hitsugay began, slowly moving her kimono down to reveal more of her cleavage and a scar that was across her abdomen. "I bested you before, I can best you again." Hitsugaya left and I turned to Hikifune who had her top undone but her breasts were covered. She scoffed as she redid her uniform.

"I hate that man..." she grumbled.

"It seems you know him," Urahara remarked.

"He personally trained me before I entered the Gotei and with his methods, I got promoted to the Zero Division. I was also in love with him but he didn't return it so I took the position to forget about him but... we would observe Soul Society daily and just hearing that there is _a_ Hitsugaya among their current ranks makes old feelings return." Hikifune sighed as she grabbed Captain Kuchiki's hand. He was still out. "I hate that man..." she repeated.

"I remember you, Hikifune-sama. You have been a patient here once," Hatsume spoke, giving the woman a smile.

"Yes, and it was more than once. And before you became head of the hospital. Back then, this place was much smaller."

"Yes, I was the executive director for poison control. It has been a long time." Hatsume bowed, causing Hikifune to start waving her arms in panic.

"That's not necessary! Nobody should have a Hiryu bow to them! Come on, get up!"

"You're so silly, Hikifune!" Hatsume giggled. Hikifune sighed. One of Hatsume's officers came up to her, whispering in her ear. "I have other matters to attend to. Inoue-chan, please do rest."

"I will," I said, bowing to her as she left.

"Let's catch up sometime, Hana-chan!" Hikifune called, earning a wave from Hatsume.

"Hana-chan?" I pondered aloud.

"It was a nickname Hitsugaya and Asuka gave to her," she answered.

"Just how old are you, Kirio?" Urahara asked with his characteristic grin. A minute later, the people outside of the room witness a flying Urahara soar through the window to a fountain.

"Anyway," she said, dusting her hands off. "I was considered part of the fourth generation when the Gotei formed but I didn't become a captain until much later. So I was there before Shunsui and Ukitake but I couldn't afford the fees to enter the Shin'ou Academy so I would train with Hatsume's sister, Kagura, as an auxiliary member. I met Hitsugaya through her and Hatsume through him. Hitsugaya offered to pay for my tuition but I refused so Asuka put in a good word for me," Hikifune recalled, watching birds fly by. "I grew close to the Hiryu family. Hitsugaya took me to the ruins of the Lost City that was once Zangetsugure where he trained me. I owe it to him that I am where I am today."

"Are you glad he's alive?" I asked. She thought about it and when she decided she was, she smiled but didn't answer me directly.

"What does it matter?" Hikifune whispered. "We need to take care of everyone here. I'll assemble a few rooms for them and begin preparing meals to re-calibrate their strength. You should rest, too, child. You look exhausted."

Captain Hikifune left when Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu came in to check up on them. I am exhausted. I don't know what to do anymore. I ended up passing out.

_Karakura, back in my_ room...

I was combing my hair in a trance when I realized how much time had passed by. We've spent almost two years in Soul Society and nearly five in the Hidden Temple, but only a few months passed in our world. It seems that it was up to the citizens and its leaders to control the flow of time in the Hidden Temple, which did explain why Rokujin did not look a day older than Byakuya. Some of our classmates noticed I looked more mature but I hadn't aged. They asked where Renji and Ichigo were but I cried at the mere thought of him. People assumed he and I split so I'd been getting passes from a lot of the students. Captain Ukitake came in, all bandaged up, to let the staff know that the Gotei officers were all in a hiking accident so it could be a time before they returned. Yumichika, Ikkaku and Hinamori were explained to have the flu while Ishida explained Ichigo and Renji were having major stomach problems. We had to explain we went kayaking in Okinawa despite how unbelievable it sounds but Ishida managed to detail that. I spent everyday receiving letters from admirers or text messages from random guys. I ended up putting my phone on silent for the most part and I would delete around one hundred messages per day.

It was around six in the evening and I had packed everything for our little group date. It was Friday, five weeks in Soul Society's time, two and a half months in the Hidden Temple, but a week from the attack set on the hotel. We were headed to one of the swimming holes outside of Karakura. There was a beautiful marble cave you needed to enter before you went to the swimming hole and we decided to go at night time. The rest of the seniors were going to be there but our group was going to travel together. I looked into my bag and found I had everything but when I looked up, I saw this cute little monkey doll that I just had to adore. I picked up and smiled but I remembered who gave it to me as tears fall down my face.

"Renji... how could you..." I sobbed as I stared at the doll he gave me, my tears falling on my lap as I realized mascara running down my face. I felt my phone vibrate as I held on to it and I saw a text from one of my classmates.

_6:30PM I'm outside. Ready to go, babe?_

_6:30PM Yeah, I'm just making some minor adjustments._

_6:30PM Don't worry, you won't be needing your clothes to where we're going. ;)_

_6:30PM When did you get so perverted, Mizuho?_

_6:31PM Just admit you love it, sweet buns!_

_6:31PM Oh, hah-hah. I'm going out._

I walked out with my backpack. I was wearing white short shorts and a pink shirt that had strawberries on it. I was wearing sneakers even though we were going to go swimming because the cave had a rocky trail. I tied my hair up when I was in Soul Society the first time. I saw Mizuho, Keigo, Chizuru and Tatsuki waiting for me outside. We were supposed to meet everyone by the cafe Chizuru worked at but I started to drift off into another world as they began to tease Keigo.

_Flashback_

I sobbed as quietly as I could on the bed Renji and I would share while we stayed here. They gave us rooms to stay in during our visits at a very luxurious and large hotel. It looked like a shinto temple and it was located near an old fashion bathhouse. I looked up, my eyes swollen from the enduring hours learning of Renji's sudden demise. He still had an extra uniform here and it kept his scent. I couldn't eat, I couldn't drink and when I tried to do both, I couldn't fill myself from the lack of appetite. On a desk near the window was a picture, framed by macaroni that the kids gave us with a photo Asuna took of us during the second time I visited the Lost City. We were both sitting on the edge of a cliff and I was on his lap, staring off into the distance. We were bird watching that day and I remember Asuna sneaking up on us. I gripped Renji's uniform, letting it soak from my muffled crying.

"Crying won't bring him back, you know," Setsuka said, startling me.

"I didn't know anyone was here," I replied, still crying a little. My voice felt lumpy. I wiped my tears with his uniform. "Sorry..."

"Don't be. Nobody understands the pain you do. Seems your friends are still having a hard time coping with the loss."

"I don't know what to do without him... how could he do such a thing without thinking..." I began to cry again.

"That's something he and Jinpachi shared. He knew he could potentially die when he faced the Ghost King again. But he still went anyway. It was the matter of his heart and the capacity of love he held for Izayoi and their children." Setsuka walked up to me, sitting on the bed as I kneel towards it, running her fingers through my hair. "Death is not the end of something for Izayoi did her best to raise her children up until the end of her time for she knew death was just the beginning of another adventure." She kissed the top of my head in a maternal fashion. "We love you, child... don't forget that..."

"I need him!" I sobbed into his uniform, my body beginning to shake involuntarily from the overwhelming emotion.

"I know. I'll leave you alone for now." Setsuka got up to give me space to leave the room but before she closed her door, she paused. "Hatsume and your friend, Isane Kotetsu, found something off with their corpses. While they are technically deceased, their bodies remain empty vessels as if they never had any souls in them. Hiruyaga suspected it to be the same kind of effect Jinpachi went through when he first entered the Star Gladiator realm so Rokujin went to Hitsugaya for answers but he was nowhere to be found. He may have went after Asuka. Mekujin and Sesshoumaru are going to the old archives to find out more about the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha." _Boy, this girl does not address her parents formally. Then again, she did have her mother's last name since Sesshoumaru was a mononymous name._

"Thank you, Setsuka-san..."

"You're welcome, Orihime."

She closed the door gently. I looked up and saw that the sun began to set. I got in the shower and had a quick change of clothes into a customized Shinigami uniform Renji made for me. I tied my hair up and began to make my way to Rokujin first to get some answers before I meet Mekujin and Sesshoumaru. I decided to leave Hiruyaga last because she did not seem very receptive of our appearance but she was not belligerent. I think she was more concerned about Hitsugaya's sudden intervention. We were informed that Hitsugaya Juushirou was guardian of the eastern region while Sesshoumaru and Hiruyaga stayed by the south sector of Soul Society. Hitsugaya would rotate between the north and east while Seshoumaru and Hiruyaga would occasionally move to the west. These were the edges of Soul Society, barren wasteland where it would take epochs to reach that not even captain-class Shinigami could make it to the end of the journey. There were four obelisks that once served as defensive weapons during the primordial age when the pantheon would wage war against one another, sending the Ghost King to where he currently resides through the use of this mechanism that ended up separating Seireitei from our world. The end results brought forth Hollows, spirits with no emotion and no conscience but not necessarily evil beings.

I made it to the massive library when I ran into Rokujin. When we entered the hidden archives, Mekujin had him in a sleeper-hold but released his grip when he saw it was Rokujin. Apparently, the entire Hidden Temple was so sacred and so sensitive that they went to use any measures to protect the family's remaining history. We saw Sesshoumaru looking through a mountain of books but from what Mekujin says, nothing was found. Several people were looking through the records but nothing came up. I picked a book near the mythology section (who knew?), and I read an entry about the Legendary Baboon King and the Charming Snake. It told a tale of an arrogant king when an elderly woman came to him seeking food and shelter. The king used her as a slave but his kingdom suffered from famine and war. When the king asked the woman, who became his most trusted adviser, about why this was happening, the once old wretch turned into an enchantress. She cursed him to live for eternity, watching all those he had precious to him left to rot and decay. So the king cursed her back, fusing the two into one. This story made me think of Renji and his zanpakutou spirit. I put the book back and sat down, sighing as I stared at a random book when I noticed the title. _Reign of the Star King._

"Interesting..." I said, picking up the book. It was just a fable where the Star King was once a servant known as the Star Gladiator who fought through oppression before he ruled the galaxies. The Star Kingdom.

"This is going to take some time..." Sesshoumaru said to everyone while he read through the abundance of books. Hiruyaga came in and I waved but she just ignored me as well as Rokujin.

"She doesn't like me very much..." I noted as Rokujin sat next to me.

"She's not the talkative type," he assured. "Reign of the Star King? Good book. We kept some of these novels here because they were the last of their kind. It was written during Zangetsu's era, and his wife was the author. Most of these books were written during that era so we may not find anything anytime soon."

I smiled weakly at his unyielding determination but I can tell he was frustrated. Then it hit me.

_The Star King... _

I spent hours reading stories here and realized the Star Gladiator entered another world before he became its regent.

"Hey-OUCH!" I jumped up, bumping my head on something. I rubbed my head but when I recovered, I saw Sesshoumaru with his head tilted down, his reading glasses lowered as Mekujin began to shake his head. "I think I may have found something!"

"Tell us, girl," Hiruyaga demanded with her commander's tone. "Speak." I gulped and Setsuka entered the room with a basket of fruit.

"Apple?" she offered to me.

_End of_ flashback

"Inoue? Hey, Inoue! Hello!" Tatsuki waved her hand in front of me, snapping me out of my funk. We made it to the cave and I could hear laughter in the distance. "Welcome back to Earth."

"Sorry..." I apologized, punching my head lightly.

"You're so cute!" Chizuru complimented, earning a kick from Mizuho.

"Come on, let's go." Mizuho sighed as Keigo dragged the dazed Chizuru.

"She's so scary!" Keigo whispered, following my friends.

_Please be okay... Renji..._

_To be continued..._

**_Next Chapter: Part Of Me, Renji._**

**_SNEAK PEAK!_**

_"Fuck..." I groaned, holding my abdomen as I started to focus my vision but red liquid blocked most of my view. I had a slight moment of confusion before I remembered I was in the Star King's realm._

_"You will meet your end here, you pathetic cur!" Kazujin screamed as he made his descent at us, a giant phoenix forming around his body that nearly enveloped this world._

_"Renji!" Ichigo shouted to me. His uniform was charred from the intense heat and his body was severely scarred._

_There is no way in hell that we can escape from this man!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight: Part Of Me, Renji_

"Kazujin..." I whispered.

Kazujin didn't budge, not even blink. Neither did the woman with him nor did their army. I tensed as I stared at Kazujin, or the man emulating Kazujin's essence. I didn't feel any strong reiatsu emanating from the two. Matter of fact, I didn't feel **any **reiatsu pouring out from anybody! Not even Ichigo! I turned to Ichigo and he was distracted by vibrant colors. I placed my attention to them when I realized something...

"We're... dead?" Ichigo finally said.

I froze.

_My body... Ichigo's body... Orihime... she's crying!_

I saw several people try to console her as the scene began to shift periodically from the beginning. I witnessed how we originally lunged at the Orochi before our bodies went limp for no apparent reason, dodging what would have been a fatal attack that Hitsugaya Juushirou managed to redirect back to it. It gave enough time for a detachment of warriors to recover our bodies as the entire city was evacuated, leaving it to ruin. Then the scene changed to what we both saw, with Orihime pouring her tears on our bed while Rukia stood on a cliff in a regular kimono near the Proving Grounds. A single tear was shed but she didn't sob as much the way Orihime did. Then time sped forward to where our empty shells were being experimented on, inaudible dialogue being made with Hitsugaya observing the operation. We can hear some of the words being said, the most common being how strange we just went lifeless before I saw Orihime traveling to a swimming hole. She sat alone near a bonfire, eating some snacks while everyone engaged in conversation. Rukia remained at the Kuchiki estate lying on her bed in silent contemplation. What made my body feel like hurling was how time seemed to have skipped to a few years. Orihime was walking out of a university, probably the one in Tokyo, when she received a text.

_4:10PM Hey, Inoue. I just got off work. Want to come over?_

_4:10PM Sure! I'm just going to pick up my birth control pills on the way so I may be a little late._

_4:10PM Okay. Good thing because I don't have anymore condoms. We used all of them last week._

_4:11PM I prefer we don't use them anymore. I rather feel the real you. :)_

I felt anger rising from viewing this as it flash-forwards to her approaching the man's house. I saw the guy's face; he had glasses on but I couldn't recognize him at all. He had brown hair and he was way much skinnier than I. She went into his house without kissing him and I couldn't dare imagine what went on inside. The imagery faded and I could tell Ichigo must have seen something similar with Rukia when he whispered her name. I punched some object near me and when I looked, it was a fancy-looking vase with floral designs. When I inspected my surroundings some more, I realized this entire space had furniture that expanded eternally. And they were all expensive. I tried to investigate the area with Ichigo because for some reason, we were the only ones left in here.

"Hello!" Ichigo called, his voice repeated from the echoes being our only response.

"Hey! I know you're in here!" I shouted. Nothing. Just echoes.

"Stop hiding, Kazujin! We saw you! Come on out!" Ichigo yelled, vivid frustrated by this sudden solitude shared only by me.

"Face me like a man, you pansy!" I raised hell as we began running around.

_Madness._

_This place is filled with madness._

There was no roof over our heads but there were still walls. We kept running around as we noticed how much of the universe we saw. The only other sounds we heard were comets passing by and the only lights illuminating the entire place were star clouds and other bright lights from this space. We panted, not knowing how many miles we ran but we kept running beyond exhaustion, trying to escape this world. As we ran, we heard children laughing, adults speaking and normal conversations being held but we couldn't make them out clearly. And we continued to run...

"COME OUT, YOU COWARDS!" Ichigo screamed.

"IF YOU'RE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO CALL FOR US, YOU'RE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO FACE US!" I yelled.

We kept yelling. We kept insulting. Nothing.

**NOTHING!**

_Hours later..._

Ichigo and I stopped, panting from the continuous sprinting marathon we had. I saw a huge clock tower to our right but the hands haven't moved. Time was frozen. We were in old Japan but the skies were still filled with stars. The only changes that were made were weird mythical beasts soaring through the galaxies, semi-invisible while they howled. I managed to see a giant blue whale with multiple wings on its back soaring through nebular clouds and another that resembled a dinosaur roaring on the Crab Nebula. Hell, a few centaurs were galloping through a field of star dusts. I leaned back against a wooden railing while Ichigo did the same. We got tired. Ghostly civilians began walking around, ignoring us as if _we_ were the dead ones.

"I give up, Ichigo..." I finally choked

"What are we going to do?" He was beaten.

"Maybe this was supposed to happen..."

"Yeah..."

"You think Orihime will forget about me?"

"Nah. She'll move on but... nobody can replace us easily..."

"You're right..."

"I can let Rukia go as long as she's happy, I guess."

"Yeah, me too..."

"What now?"

"I guess we can just live out the rest of our lives here..."

"Yeah, I guess..."

I got up, dusting myself off as I offered a hand to Ichigo. There's no use. We tried everything. We couldn't even activate our zanpakutou.

_Well, this is fate, I suppose. Might as well accept it._

_As the world turns..._

We occupied one of the homes in feudal Japan. It was decent enough, I suppose. Ichigo had his own room and I had mine. We spent days just going about daily activities. We cooked together, cleaned the place up, took silent walks in our Shinigami attire through the bamboo forests to the mountains, swam, went hunting... hell, we even trained with bamboo sticks. We left our zanpakutou wrapped and carefully them placed where we could no longer see them. We made our own clothes after observing how tailors did theirs. We went to the markets and we oddly bumped through people though none of them seemed bothered. We couldn't see their faces since they were pretty much translucent, even more so compared to Jinpachi's group. I lost track of time but we managed to keep ourselves busy. I took up a hobby making things out of wood while Ichigo started making stone statues. I would take strolls by myself and start doing push-ups or start punching boulders to maintain my form. I still had Orihime in my mind but it started to hurt less and less. I didn't even feel stressed enough to masturbate. And no, I didn't resort to using Ichigo for intimacy. We still argued like how we did back in our world but it kind of toned down. It felt like years passed by but we're not sure. In time, Ichigo and I just kept to ourselves but we'd occasionally talk about random stuff. Mostly about old TV shows, though.

One morning, I got up and we conducted our usual routines that consisted of a morning clean up, exercise and breakfast. I was packing my gear to head down town when I stopped. I looked inside my bag and I saw hair-clips. I was wondering why I felt nostalgic when I realized they belonged to Inoue. I hadn't thought of her for a while now but I grew fond of the memories. I smiled but left them on my futon. I saw Ichigo just enter with a giant fish so I guess that's what we're having for dinner later. When I left our compound, I looked up. I forgot how the sun looked like. Well, we have numerous suns but **our **sun. I missed **our **sun.

"Look," Ichigo said, pointing to a cloud. "That one looks like Kazujin."

"Yeah, no shit." I chuckled.

"I _am_ Kazujin, you buffoons," a voice boomed.

"WHAT!" Ichigo and I jumped up, running inside as we shut all our doors but we peaked through the window as stealthily as we could.

"You think he'll go away?" Ichigo whispered.

"Let's just pretend he's one of those nosy neighbors. Maybe he will," I answered, earning me a thumbs-up from him.

"I'm not leaving. Come on out or I'll destroy that house," Kazujin threatened.

"Make us!" I called out, putting my eyelid down as I showed him my tongue.

"Yeah, make us!" Ichigo repeated.

He sighed. "Ingrates." He took out a large broadsword, taking a swing that literally blew our house apart. Ichigo and I ran under a table but I heard his footsteps. I saw him approach us, removing the table with a flick of his wrist so we both shielded ourselves.

"W-we d-don't have m-money!" I stammered. "We're poor! Spare us!"

"Yeah, take the table! It's yours! Take it and go!" Ichigo go on his knees and began holding his hands out in prayer as he began praying in Mexican.

_When the fuck did he learn Mexican?_

"Oh. Vegas," I grumbled remembering.

"I'm not here for any material things. I'm here for you two. Now get up!" Kazujin propped both of us as he walked down the steps. He realized only his feet can be heard moving so he turned around. "Well? Come on, you two!"

"Hai!" Ichigo and I responded simultaneously, running past him into what we appeared to be some type of carriage that was gigantic in size. I actually had to boost Ichigo up and he had trouble lifting me up the steps. Before I entered, I saw that two giants were the commandeering the vessel that were similar in size to Komamura Sajin's Bankai and eight monstrous horses neighed, their bodies engulfed with blue, ghastly flames. Wings were folded back on these beasts and for a moment, I felt out of place but I remembered I was a Shinigami. I entered the vehicle and I saw it was _huge _itself. I made my way to the food and began to devour, and my God, it was delicious! I was joined by Ichigo and the door closed, making me notice Kazujin entering for a brief moment before resuming what I was doing.

"I see you found the entree. Make yourselves right at home." Kazujin took off his armor to give us a clear view of his face. He didn't seem dead at all. Ichigo and I paused to stare at him for a while as he took his seat with us. When he saw this, he motioned for us to continue. "Eat. I know you've been ingesting the plasma from this plane and it's just like tofu but this is authentic food. You'll actually be energized. So eat up."

"Yes, sir!" I took no moment to hesitate as I heard a whipping sound made followed by horses crying out. The vehicle began to move before I felt it going airborne but nothing fell from the constant turning.

"Renji, look!" Ichigo pointed to the window.

"What the..." I got up and ran to get a better look. We were leaving that world and I saw it was another planet. I saw so many planets and realized we could have been in a multi-verse. "What the hell..."

"You're in a realm that many do not know about, few who do, and even fewer who can acquire its access. These are the Undying Lands," Kazujin informed, taking a few slurps from his noodles.

"The Undying Lands? What are they?" I asked.

"The Undying Lands is another realm similar to purgatory but not necessary malevolent. Souls who have been separated from their bodies during the Purge were sent here." Kazujin took a sip from his flask.

"Purge?" Ichigo asked.

"The Purge was a war. The Ghost King's war. Before the war against the Devil Within the Flames. The Purge saw a massacre of souls that created the segregation of the Rukongai from the majority of the capital, Seireitei, letting Soul Society run rampant and many souls weren't purified so they didn't transition into Heaven properly. But they were innocent souls so they were sent here. Those who died in your world ended up in Soul Society... which was a type of purgatory."

"Who is the Devil Within the Flames?" Ichigo asked.

"Jinpachi. My son." Kazujin dabbed his lips with a napkin as he snapped his fingers where one of his servants filled his flask again. Kazujin poured some type of powder that resulted in it turning bright green. He got up, handing it to us. "Drink. It's a potion meant for you to regain your former strength. I know you kids use these for science experiments nowadays." He withdrew a goblet from underneath his kimono's sleeves as another servant filled it with wine.

"Bottoms up," I said, drinking from the flask and I suddenly felt alive. I gave it to Ichigo and he felt its effects, too.

"Where are we going?" Ichigo asked.

"To the realm of the Star King," Kazujin said ominously.

"Star King?" Ichigo mumbled but he ignored him.

"Have the Juggernaut move faster," Kazujin ordered.

"Yes, master," the maid bowed.

"Juggernaut?" I asked.

"That's the name of this vehicle. Juggernaut." Kazujin began to make his way to the table. "We're going to see Shiva."

_Palace of the__ Destroyer_  
  
I'm not sure how long it took us but I remember dozing off into a dreamless slumber but it took us a long time to get there. I awoke to the sound of Ichigo slightly snoring but the entire place was dark. The only thing giving us light were the stars and other galaxies providing us some sort of aid. Kazujin was nowhere to be found but I got up and the room was visible enough for me to locate a goblet. I took a drink, tasting some type of citrus circulating coolly on my palate. I grabbed a goblet when I heard Ichigo stir, going to him as he took the cup from me. For a while, we sat in silence, the carriage slightly bumping from the way we sped to Shiva's palace. By the time we finished drinking, the room was lit but not by any torches within the vehicle. We tried seeing where it came from but we couldn't, so we went to a door that was in front of us. I swear, this entire room was as big as an expensive two, maybe three-story house. When we entered another room, I noticed many mechanical gears gyrating with Kazujin near who I suspect to be the captain of the ship. There were several individuals shrouded in clothing similar to his when we first saw him in this universe but they had hoods on. The pilot had a special kind of diadem to signify his rank. We approached Kazujin and we got a full of view of the palace. It was massive! So many towers surrounded this palace and I noticed it had several Buddhist designs and statues surrounding the place but most if it had traces of Hindi origin. The place was large enough to point out that we were still a far distance from Shiva's home. It was illuminated with many bright colors as if a festival was going on.

"I thought we were going to the Star King's realm?" Ichigo inquired.

"Yeah, what gives? Don't tell me Shiva is the Star King!"

"No, but we need to see Shiva before we enter that place. You are going the same route only Jinpachi and I have taken," Kazujin told us. "My wife will be waiting for us at the drop off point."

"Please tell me we're guests there," I said hopefully.

"Yes. You're Shiva's guest but try to avoid disrespecting her," Kazujin warned. "She has a hot temper."

"Okay, good." I let out a breath of relief before I took in what he just told us. "Wait. _She_?"

"No. Shiva is a cow. Yes, a she!" Kazujin rolled his eyes. Every operator paused to stare at him but when Kazujin looked around, they resumed their work. "Don't tell her I said that, by the way."

"I always thought Shiva was a guy!" I sat down.

"Yeah, what gives?" Ichigo asked.

"Not everything you read in plain text is accurate, you two," Kazujin noted.

"We are nearly approaching our destination, sir," one of the navigators informed. "ETA thirty minutes."

_Thirty minutes?! _

I stared at the upcoming palace. I guess we can enjoy the spectacle. Fireworks were going off but I don't think it was meant for us.

"So how is Shiva going to help us?" Ichigo asked after a lengthy silence between the three of us.

"Shiva was one of the primordial gods of time, which included Adonai, the Kamiyonanayo and others. While others had many responsibilities, Adonai was the supreme ruler of chaos who created the cosmic egg, Prima Materia. When the egg hatched, the Big Bang ensued, and to control the aether from overflowing, Adonai created the first generation of primordial gods and they spawned their own pantheons. When Jinpachi first arrived here, he challenged Shiva to obtain the Dark Matter and with it, he mastered the Star Gladiator form with his natural prowess and his unrivaled ferocity, and later on became the Star King. I followed after first war against the Devil Within the Flames: the War of the Burning Star. Shiva predicted the war would bring about a devastating effect. Because the war was against Jinpachi, the endless flames constructed by him would be enough to summon the required negative energy to open a portal, and through the other side of the wormhole would be the Ghost King. Jinpachi was warned by Shiva that such a battle would result in universal calamity, so he took the fight to a world much more insidious than your Hell. By the time I got here, I learned my granddaughter, Asuka, wanted absolute vengeance and Shiva's prediction became clear: Asuka's retribution goes beyond the Ghost King. She wants to cleanse the world of sin and attempt to recreate the world in her vision. But doing so means the death of your Soul King and without the linchpin, Soul Society would fall into disorder. Though access to the Ghost King will be there, so will other dimensions and this would bring about a cosmic explosion: the Big Rip. And should Jinpachi intervene with his forces, the world will enter an infernal state known as the Big Crunch. All we would have known would be lost by this disaster." Kazujin crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as we come closer to Shiva's domain. "Shiva gave Jinpachi the Dark Energy to challenge the Ghost King because back then, a celestial intervention would bring forth the end of days. But with an emissary, the universe would not fall into disarray. With Asuka flying blindly, we could only imagine the sort of dangers she could bring. And Jinpachi would want to save his child if he even knew of her intentions."

"What are you planning to do?" I asked.

"What **we're** planning to do is to prepare you properly to make sure whatever happens in the upcoming war does not end the universe. Not while Adonia lay dormant," Kazujin stated.

"At whatever cost?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes. While it is our burden to bear, I cannot allow the recklessness of my clan to be held responsible for the destruction of the universe. Not with Adonai unable to prevent this from happening."

"Why is Adonai asleep?" I asked.

"Creating the world is not easy business," Kazujin answered jovially.

"So what is Shiva going to do to prepare us?" Ichigo asks and I can sense the hype in his tone.

"To enhance you with the _proper _materials of the Star Gladiator's raw power. It isn't some product that can easily be obtained but earned the right to wield it and right now, only Jinpachi and I are the only known bearers." Kazujin grinned. "You may have to fight Shiva for that right."

"WHAT?!" Ichigo and I said in unison.

"Sir, forty seconds to arrival!" a navigator notified.

"Excellent! Now, you two, when we arrive, my wife will be accompanied by Shiva's Royal Guard and the Avatar. Please restrain yourself from impoliteness," Kazujin warned. Kazujin did a double-take before we actually landed. "Come to think of it, I don't know _what_ to call the Avatar."

We heard the sounds of wheels and hooves meeting the ground as we entered the runway which lit up with random bright colors, pillars with intertwining columns of gold and ivory ascending where active flames burn. There were thousands of armored guards holding a combination of banners and halberds that stood at attention on the edge of the path. We got closer to the palace and saw a giant entity walking that I assumed to be a deity. Jewels filled the walls and I noticed many people walking about. We came to a stop and we proceeded to exit the vehicle, literally hopping off from the massive Juggernaut. We saw Sakura surrounded by Hindu warriors, the giant right behind them. Ichigo and I immediately bowed as Kazujin walked past us, followed by his Juggernaut flight team.

_We made it. The Star King's realm within the belly of the Destroyer._

"Hello, my love," Sakura greeted Kazujin.

"And hello to you, my beautiful cherry blossom," Kazujin said back to her, playfully teasing her name.

"Welcome, my Lord Kazujin," the being known as the Avatar greeted.

"Welcome to Palace of Shiva," Sakura greeted us. "As you may already know, I am Sakura. But now that my husband is here... may we formally introduce ourselves."

Ichigo and I raised our heads, standing straight as the gorgeous couple stood with pride.

"I am Hitokiriken Kazujin Hayashi Mishima Hiryu no Taishou," Kazujin's voice boomed with a powerful undertone. He began to withdraw his weapon as his body glowed brightly. It was a katana with elaborate designs bearing his full name in teal font, the scabbard white with a black flame-patterned tip. The handle had red ribbons wrapped around it, and a chain at the edge of the handle with the end showing a black crescent moon.

_Another Hitokiriken? Is that a unique title or is that actually part of their name? And why is he drawing his weapon?!_

"And I am Hiruyaga Sakura Tsujishirou Kuchiki Yaburi Hiryu," Sakura stated afterwards.

_Hiruyaga. I get it now. They gave these names to their children but Jinpachi was the verified name of the Commander._

**Wait.**

**_SHE'S A__ KUCHIKI?!_**

_**One surprise after another! How many do these guys have?!**_

I saw her pull out her weapon from her obi and held it out in front of her, a white scarf flowing that I recognized as the Ginpaku Kazahana no Uzuginu. On her head was a familiar headpiece called the Kenseikan. Her weaponry consisted a nodachi and a spear, and she begun to slowly draw her blade simultaneously getting into a battle stance. Her body began to glow a bright red, almost pinkish, hue that was all too familiar to me. Her eyes began to glow the same shade as the blade started to glow as she exposed the full weapon. Then she answered my question as the blades dispersing into thousands of petals being absorbed into the ground.

"Wait! What's going on!" Ichigo demanded.

"Before you meet Shiva, you must prove you are worthy of entering her realm if you wish to inherit the Star King's might," the Avatar said unto us.

"I see... then we have no choice..." I called out Zabimaru and before I knew it, I was in my Bankai form without actually initiating it. Ichigo did the same and he shared the same sentiments I did.

"Renji," Ichigo said to me, drawing my attention as he nodded, which I returned. "It's all or nothing!"

"Shuukei... Hakuteiken!" Sakura yelled as rows of tremendous blades ascend to surround her, four giant wings of surging energy flow behind her in a wild torrent as a giant halo-like ring formed behind her while a blade forms on her weapon with a white shade.

"Let's go!" I sprinted towards her as I began to accumulate reiatsu, preparing my Zaga Teppou before I got hit by an unknown force. I flew thousands of meters in the air before I felt a burning sensation scorch my epidermis. I opened my mouth to yell but I heard Ichigo's voice. When I focused my vision, all I saw was Sakura in front of me, sending a punch to my sternum followed by a swift kick to my gut as I felt a vast wave of sharp blades cutting my skin from the same command my captain uses when he activates his Shikai.

"Fuck..." I groaned, holding my abdomen as I started to focus my vision but red liquid blocked most of my view. I had a slight moment of confusion before I remembered I was in the Star King's realm.

"You will meet your end here, you pathetic cur!" Kazujin screamed as he made his descent at us, a giant phoenix forming around his body that nearly enveloped this world.

"Renji!" Ichigo shouted at me. His uniform was charred from the intense heat and his body severely scarred.

_There is no way in hell we can escape from this man!_

"Shit!" I shouted as Kazujin's bird roared loud enough to do some serious hurt to my eardrums. I looked in front of me as the Avatar watched and realized how mechanical it looked. The bird with Kazujin must be Garuda! They have the might too impossible for us to handle and I doubt Captain-Commander Yamamoto, no, the **Royal Guard** would handle their combined strength!

"Watch out!" Ichigo called as I saw Sakura rush for me, her weapon raised as I realized her wings lifted her off the ground.

"Scatter, Hakuteiken!" she commanded as the blades she summoned from the earth accompanied her before dissipating into a whirlwind of menacing red. I moved away but the ground got brighter as Kazujin made his approach. I saw death before my eyes as I gulped.

Then I felt it.

_What is happening..._

My heart pumped hard before stopping. It did it again. And again. And started beating furiously like I was having a heart attack but I felt angry. I had an imagery of Orihime and I in a chapel, with her donning an elegant white dress that I assumed to be her bridal gown and this was our wedding ceremony. Her smile. How I made her cry. Her funeral. I envisioned her body in a casket and that's when I got furious! I growled as I heard my voice changed into a beastly tone. My mass increased and I recognized this feeling.

**Beast Mode.**

I heard Ichigo howling in agonizing pain and just as Sakura reached a considerable distance, I gave her an uppercut, sending her towards Kazujin as he began to disengage. The two of them collided but they recovered. The second my transformation met its completion, I took my ascent, a sonic boom echoing as Ichigo did the same, my roar escalates into a higher pitch as my arms began igniting flames to my weapon; the familiar King Cobra followed suit.

"Bone Shattering Wave of the Northern Lights! O-Bankai! Burn Bright, Hakuteiken!" Sakura shouts, summoning various celestial entities resembling anthropomorphic zodiacs. The one appearing like Aquarius dropped her jar as it unleashed a tidal wave at us while a feline appearing like Leo charged at us with a muscular Taurus wielding two double-headed axes. "Zodiac Braves!"

"Onward To Glory, Army Of One! O-Bankai! Excel With My Vigor, Seisaikage!" Kazujin shouted. He was engulfed with a white flame-like aura that progressed into a giant ethereal dragon but we still saw his body within the abomination. He aimed his weapon at us and as we got closer, it opened to reveal a type of launcher, its muzzle clear as day as he fired enormous spirit missiles at us. "Holy Dragon Cannon!"

Both of us were hit by Kazujin's attack followed by the tidal wave sending us back to the floor. Ichigo got hit by Taurus while Leo headbutts me. Next thing I know, the Sagittarius zodiac fires a volley of arrows at Ichigo while the Gemini zodiac tosses me back and forth with physical brutality. As we hit the ground, I felt my body getting smashed by the claws of Scorpio while Ichigo is thrown aside by Capricorn's trident. Pisces took on the form of the prehistoric megalodon with reptilian scales that had a curvaceous maiden strapped on its back as if it were riding the beast wielding a lance that pierced Ichigo. I felt my claws sink into the gravel and when I looked up, the Libra zodiac unleashing spiritual blasts at me with rapid precision. Blood spurt from my gashing wounds. A voluptuous humanoid with ram horns charged at me, punching me numerous times and I felt nausea rising from within me. My endurance can only take so much. I felt dizzy when Ichigo rammed into me from Gemini: both were children, one male and one female. The Zodiac Braves gathered behind Virgo, who wore something akin to Grecian women's clothing. She had a nearly see-through skirt with Greek sandals, a low-cut top that revealed her ample assets but her face was covered by a veil, a tiara on her head as her long braided locks cascaded in between her breasts. She had gauntlets on with two wings forming behind her. She levitated, entering a fetal position momentarily as she accumulated a bright orb of light before unleashing a wave of tendrils that locked on to both of us, damaging us severely. I tried getting up only to see the Zodiac Braves led by Virgo blast my serpent ally with her hand. We left our Beast Mode due to the damage sustained, reverting us back to normal. She summoned a spectral sword but they froze. Everything froze except the embers on the pillars.

"What's going?" Ichigo noticed.

"They just... stopped..." I said in a low voice.

"Is that it? That is all the legacy of the Hiryu clan can muster? Is this all your strength, Shinigami?" a female voice called out to us.

"Who's there!" I angrily shouted.

"You have no manners. At least Jinpachi had some when he was in your position the first time he was here." I heard mocking laughter when she appeared next to Virgo. "I am Shiva. And I am here to bring you to your end, you witless worms."

"Shiva..." Ichigo whispered.

Shiva had numerous locks of braids that went down to the side of her face. Her facial attributes boasts of renown beauty, a diadem worn around her head. The top of her hair was tied up and her hair cascaded past her waistline in curls. Her skin was porcelain like ivory, her body barely covered and she was very curvy. Tribal markings were all over her flawless skin but her eyes yielded wroth. An uroboros formed behind her and she posed like how most Hindu deities did in paintings.

"Pity. Here I thought you had potential... Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji," she mocked us with laughter as she said this in a very condescending manner.

I saw a giant meteor descending as an ominous chorus sung by her angels vibrated the grounds, the floors below rising while several decorated stones were inbound. Shiva began to ascend to a great height, twirling as snakes began to crawl up to her hair, replacing her once beautiful braids by the serpents. The goddess snickered before her ululating laughter shattered this plane as a new world was forged by this maniacal goddess. We stood on a platform that tilted in a strange rotation. I looked around and we were inside a swirling chaotic cloud, planets and stars somewhat visible. Shiva grew to a monstrous size before removing herself from the platform.

"Now it's time to play, my pretty little Shinigami!" Shiva addressed us, sending a fist on the ground that we managed to roll away from.

"Ichigo!" I searched for my friend but one of the beasts from her hair ensnared him.

"Renji, run!" he told me.

"Not without you, brother!" I went to him to cut off the snake's head but I got smashed by Shiva's palm. "That's it! Blue Fire Crash Down!"

"Ah! You dare disrespect me!" Shiva yelped in pain from my kido asault which surprisingly made its mark true. She was holding her eye while she blindly swung at us. I turned to Ichigo and removed him from the fiend but I got trapped in a constriction of my own.

"Renji!" Ichigo ran to me but he got held down by flaming swords. "Shit!"

"Fuck! BANKAI!" I yelled, knowing the resulting factors would force me to risk hurting myself and I did from the explosion combined with my kido spell. "Blue Fire Crash Down!"

"You idiot!" Shiva condemned. I fell to the ground meeting the pavement. I heard Ichigo use his Getsuga Tenshou technique and when he pulled me away, I saw Shiva staggering in her normal size. "You dare challenge my absolution?! Prepare to feel my wrath!"

"No chance!" Ichigo stood. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!"

"Child!" Shiva deflected the blast but she didn't realize I took the window of opportunity to sneak up from underneath, rising into the air. "What?!"

"Zaga... Teppou!" I pierced her abdomen as I heard an ear-piercing shriek as I unleash a powerful blast on her. "We got her!"

"Right," Ichigo said. "Eat this!" He made a vertical slash that chopped off some of the serpents, stunning her.

Before we could attack, Shiva raised her head, her cry of anguish sending us spiraling off the platform and back to where we were. I saw Virgo resume her action with the rest of her Zodiac Braves right behind, Sakura and Kazujin having made their descent with the Avatar following them. I braced for impact as Virgo lunged her weapon but stopped shy from my face by just a few centimeters. Ichigo and I looked past them as Virgo turned to face her master, noticing that Shiva was presently engaging in a conversation with Kazujin and Sakura. The Avatar was kneeling and when the goddess saw we had our eyes on her, she pouted and crossed her arms, facing her back to us childishly. We got up as the Zodiac Braves stood aside, making our way to the group.

"You pissed Shiva off," Kazujin remarked. Sakura giggled at his comment.

"Hmph!" Shiva grunted. She turned to us for a brief moment to reveal a type of smile.

"I am so confused..." I said. I had my arm wrapped over Ichigo's shoulder as he tried helping me stand up.

"Lady Shiva is allowing you entry into her home. You did not cower and beg for mercy but you did ruin her hair," Sakura chimed.

"You do not... I repeat... **DO NOT**... destroy a goddess' sense of fashion!" Shiva scolded, flames erupting from behind her that made us jump a little. I realized then that she was merely toying with us as were our supposed predecessors. "My wardrobe is sacred!"

"We're sorry!" Ichigo and I exclaimed, bowing to the exalted one in an apologetic manner. "Please forgive us, Your Highness!"

Shiva sighed. "Let's go. Time is of the essence. Get up, you two."

"Huh?" Ichigo stared blankly.

Kazujin walked past us but stopped once he realized we remain still. Sakura walked behind the rather tall goddess. "Well? Are you going to sit stay there and decide when breakfast starts or are you willing to piss off Her Majesty again?"

"Hai!" Ichigo and I sped towards the group, running past Shiva, entering the palace. And when we did... it was unlike any other world we've been in...

"Wow..." Ichigo and I stated simultaneously.

It was a place of grandeur. A place only built by the hands of a god, the hands of Adonai. Shiva walked right by us along with her group and the Avatar. The Zodiac Braves re-entered their souls into Sakura's weapon and I realized more giant Avatars approaching, their thunderous feet slamming on the marvelous floors. I noticed Shiva took on a much more homely appearance; instead of thin braids, long wavy hair cascaded past her waistline. She wore a dress that was still revealing and she looked even more beautiful than I could imagine. Strangely, she had a maternal expression that kind of frightened us a little. She had jewels over her clothing, bracelets on her wrists and ankles, and a diamond-encrusted belt. Some of the Avatars resembled Shiva while some were male.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Shiva formally greeted us. "Welcome... to the Palace of the Destroyer."

"Lord in Heaven..." Ichigo whispered.

"This is something else," I said, viewing the breath-taking environment.

_To be continued..._

**_Next Chapter: Prism,_ _Orihime_.  
**  
**_SNEAK PEAK!_**

_"Who... what... who are you..." I whispered, trembling at the sight of this being._

_"Silly girl," she giggled. "Don't you recognize me? I am the one called Izanami. And I am here to take you back."_


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine: Prism, Orihime_

Two months.

Two whole months.

Two whole months since I heard his voice.

Two whole months since I felt his touch.

Two months since I felt him inside me, since I kissed his lips; two months since I've seen him.

I miss Renji. I feel so empty without him. I stopped crying profusely by the end of the first month and the last time I cried was during graduation. Renji and Ichigo were withdrawn from school and I don't know what they told the school principal. When the day came, I was happy. Then I realized two names were missing. My aunt, uncle and their kids came to my graduation and put leis with exotic flowers around my neck. I took photos with them, with friends, with classmates. It wasn't the same. I didn't go with everyone to celebrate and got drunk. I stayed with my relatives because they were the ones I had left. My mother and father weren't exactly the right type of parents but I stopped caring a long time ago. That night, I felt my body yearning for sex but I ended up crying at night. I remembered then and there that it wasn't just sex. I wanted him to make love to me again. There was so much I needed to tell him.

I continued to work at the bakery as a pastry chef and I was promoted to lead supervisor although I would periodically visit Soul Society for Asuna. It had been a long time since she's seen me, according to their timeline. She was careful to never bring up Renji so she mostly asked me questions to fulfill her curiosity. Then I'd go home and just clean up, or read books, or just practice yoga. I'd run about three times a week to get my mind off things. This was the middle of the third month but two whole months have passed since I've even been near him. I haven't even been visited by Rokujin and I thought we were fairly close.

I decided to follow my new friends to the beach. I became popular with the in crowd and I didn't realize I neglected my old friends and the now-disbanded Karakura Special Forces. They decided to go their own way, I guess. Tatsuki and Chad are still together with the exception of being official, Ishida decided to work with his father and I'd stop by the Kurosaki household to give them free bread. Still... nobody indicated of the missing friends we have. Or my lover. I layered my hair and I was curling it when I got a text message from one of the popular girls, Ayako, I befriended before graduation asking when I'm coming. I told her I'm still getting ready and that Takeru was going to get me in his car. When I finished, I adjusted my bra, pressing up against my breasts to make sure I was comfortable. I was wearing a designer chic shirt with a very compromising v-neck that I got during our break after getting a pay raise and white shorts with pretty expensive sandals that Takeru bought for me. I wasn't in a relationship or anything like that with him but he's been helping around lately. He was one of the popular guys in our school and was on the bodybuilding team. Majority of the girls swoon over him but I felt nothing though he was being sweet to me. He had a pretty infamous reputation of sleeping around but I wasn't bothered. I got my bag when I heard my phone vibrating. It was from Takeru telling me he just arrived so I grabbed my jacket as I proceeded to leave. I got out and when I saw him in his convertible, I waved while I put my sunglasses on.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Hey, sexy," Takeru replied, flashing me a smile with his sunglasses tipped down. He purposely left the first three buttons alone to expose his chest but I've seen better.

"Thanks for picking me up, by the way. I'm going to request for a loan to get myself a car."

"Hey, don't worry about it! If you need anything, just ask." Takeru smirked, leaning close to me as I entered. I laughed nervously as we began making our way.

We spent the car ride in silence when he asked me a really absurd question.

"You down for a quickie?" he blurted, one hand on the steering wheel while the other rests on the shifting gear.

"Takeru," I started. "Drop the act."

"What act?"

"I know where you stand." I tipped my sunglasses down a little to get a better look at him. "I've seen you checking out guys' asses."

"What! That's ridiculous!"

"I've also seen you kissing Kentaro from the glee club."

"Who?"

"Kentaro Sakurada? From the glee club? Rainbow Romance?"

"Shit... FINE! But you can't tell anyone!"

"Of course I won't but you asking me to have sex with you won't help your denial."

"I'm trying to get into the national wrestling team. But Kentaro doesn't want me to."

"Takeru..." I sighed. "Why?"

"Well..."

And for about thirty minutes, he started confessing everything to me. He slept with girls to make it seem like he was straight because he comes from a strict family who pays for his tuition. He met Kentaro in a martial arts camp and the two carried a covert affair. I knew from the get-go when he and Renji were assigned as strikers for the soccer team but I never gossiped about it. It was okay, because I actually liked Kentaro since he never bothered hitting on me. Come to think of it, within reason, he was the _only _guy who never did. We got the beach and the party was just getting started. I stopped by the store to buy alcoholic drinks which Takeru took down himself, and when we passed by Kentaro who was just as muscular, I saw them giving each other glimpses with Takeru looking back for a second to check him out.

"Smooth operator," I joked.

"Sorry..." Takeru chuckled.

"About time!" Ayako called out to us, waving.

"Sorry!" I apologized, increasing my pace to her. We hugged upon our arrival as Takeru hugged her boyfriend.

I stayed with Ayako and her clique, talking about the latest fashion, the hottest spots to go dancing and boys but I had a hard time keeping up. I was on my second wine cooler when some of their boyfriends joined them, and one of the guys, Takahiro, sat next to me at a close distance to where I felt my skin touching his. Takahiro was the captain of the baseball team and was ranked number two on the list of hottest guys of our school. All of the guys here were muscular and so dressed up. I smiled when I looked up at him, but I began looking down. While everyone spoke, I just looked around. It was still daylight so I kept my glasses on. I felt Takahiro's arm go behind near my opposite arm but he wasn't hugging me. I felt weird for some reason. Maybe because he had red hair like Renji and had his stern expression.

_Renji..._

_I miss you._

"You okay, Hime?" Takahiro asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Hiro," I said softly.

"No problem." He put his hand on my shoulder, moving me closer to him as I felt his chin on top of my head. For a while, I allowed it to happen but I felt nothing. "Your hair smells nice."

"Really? It's just Head & Shoulders."

"It smells like strawberries."

"Oh. That's my body spray."

"Well, I like it. It suits you."

"How so?" I looked up and realized how close our lips were.

"Because you're so sweet..." Takahiro complimented, placing a hand on my face as his thumb went from my lower lip to my chin slowly. "And soft to touch."

I felt his hand beginning to travel down to my neck but before it touched my cleavage, I put his hand down, earning a chuckle from my rejection. "That's very sweet of you."

"Ouch. You got me, sheriff." I rolled my eyes but I made sure he didn't see that. Who does this guy think he is? So cheesy...

"I hope you can respect my body just as much as you can respect me, Hiro," I said without emotion. "Because I really like you." I kind of told the truth but I meant it in a platonic way. Clearly, he misunderstood me.

"Yeah? I feel the same way, Hime."

I was debating if I should roll my eyes again but I heard some moaning sounds. Some of the couples were making out while some were just being cheesy. Great. Just what I needed.

"Hiro!" I heard Takeru call out, throwing Takahiro a baseball. "Come play catch."

"All right, all right. Hold your horses, would ya'?" Takehiro got up but he still held one of my hands. He turned around to kiss it and tried to look suave doing so. "May I play with my friends, Hime?"

"Um... sure. I guess. You don't need my permission." I wanted to gag.

"Of course I do. Whatever you desire, I obey, princess." Takahiro grinned and I could tell one of the single girls started glaring at me in jealousy.

"Sure... Hiro, go have fun." I wiggled my hand but he mistook it for playfulness. It didn't help that I smiled to avoid looking like a bitch. A sexless bitch at that. He ran to the group as I began drinking my wine cooler.

I would catch Takahiro occasionally glancing at me with that trademark grin of his and I would reply back with a smile of my own. I can't believe nobody could tell I wasn't into him. We continued random conversations but I sighed. I started to rub lotion on my skin and sprayed bug repellent when I noticed a mosquito on one of the girl's legs. About forty minutes later, another guy, Jun, sat next to me with a hotdog filled with every damn condiment but I thanked him regardless. I started to grab my bean paste and smother it when I noticed him staring at me, his mouth inches away from biting.

"What?" I asked.

"Bean paste?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I didn't think a girl like you likes that shit."

"So what if I do?" I smiled but mind you, it was supposed to intimidate him but it failed. He smiled back and I dreaded another flirt coming my way. I took a bite out of my hotdog when I saw him staring at me creepily. I started wiping the condiments from my mouth with my finger, careful not to let my nails touch my lips as I chewed on my food. "What?"

"Nothing. You look hot when you put that in your mouth."

_God. Shoot me._

"Why? You like that?" I asked sarcastically.

"Hell yeah." I glared.

_Why the hell is nobody taking me seriously?!_

"Hey, everyone seems busy."

"I noticed, Jun," I said with a mouthful.

"Why don't we... you know..." he began whispering to my ear.

"You know what?" I looked at him as I made it down to my last bite.

"You know... go to the back behind the building over there?" Jun nodded over and when I looked, it was in a secluded area. I read the word _restroom_.

"What are you proposing?" I asked, narrowing my eyes but it was impossible to tell with my huge-as-shit sunglasses. I already knew the answer.

"Proposing? What? No way! I mean... let's sneak off and have some fun. Me and you." Well. I _kind of_ knew the answer but this was more detailed.

"You want to have sex with me?"

"If you put it that way... yeah, baby." I heard Jun chortle as he gripped my thigh. Before he tried to grope me, I grabbed his hand.

"Jun," I said, inhaling. "I know you're a nice guy but I'm not the type for a one-time thing."

"Who said it only has to be one time?"

"Jun, please. If you wanted to be with me, I want you to be honest and faithful. I want to get married and have kids with the next guy I'm with."

"Shit, I just remembered me and Hiro have shit to do." Jun scrambled to his feet as he called for Hiro.

"Hiro and I," I corrected Jun but he blatantly ignored me. _Men_.

_An hour later..._

It was time the sun began to set so another friend of mine, Ryo, kept me company. In a way he reminded me of Renji because he only made one pass at me but I told him I wasn't over him. So he became a friend of mine. He was less destructive compared to the other guys in this clique but he was still among them. Turns out he was dumped by Yumi who was in a three year relationship with him before she cheated on him with another guy from school. Yumi was no longer a part of this group so he figured he and I can be each other's rebounds but I was against it. Then again, apart from Takeru, he's been helping me out around the house and around work, dropping off lunch and we'd occasionally talk to each other at night on the phone. The boys started a bonfire and when I voiced my concern to Ryo, he made it clear that nobody bothered me so he hasn't left my side. When night fell, most of us recovered from intoxication, some people left but the party was still going on. The popular crowd ranged from current juniors to seniors and us, the class that graduated. Like every other guy, Ryo was extraordinarily handsome and he was built. He was also in the kendo and jujutsu classes, and he joined the sewing class with me while Renji was still around since Renji decided to leave it after pricking himself one too many times. Ryo sat next to me with two hamburgers and I already saw bean paste inside. I didn't smile but I thanked him. People started laughing as we ate but I stayed silent, watching the embers of the fire. When it hit eight o'clock, we decided to call it a day and Ryo offered to take me home. I got in Ryo's car which was a red Porsche and we began making a drive. I felt my heart thump from unknown nervousness so I decided to look outside the window. Then I realized that I was still buzzing from the alcohol and I realized Ryo decided to take the long route. Some slow R&B songs were playing so I looked at Ryo who maintained his focus on driving. But for some reason, it felt like I was with Renji. When he caught me staring, I blushed and I realized he had a strong resemblance to him. Or was it the alcohol? Either way...

"Thanks for taking care of me, Ryo," I whispered.

"No problem. I'm there whenever you need me, Inoue." I smiled but I felt hot for some reason.

"Oh, my God, it's hot." I took off my jacket without realizing how much of a generous view I was giving my cleavage. I felt flustered but when I remembered what I was wearing, I looked at Ryo who was staring. "Um... Ryo?"

"Y-yeah?" he stammered.

"The road?"

"Huh-OH SHIT!" Ryo made a sharp turn before he crashed into a car as I screamed, sending us off the road down a hill before we stopped near the sand behind a few palm trees. We both started breathing loudly and I pressed my palm on my forehead. He turned off the car. "I'm so sorry, Inoue!"

"It's okay! We're fine! That's all that matters..." I leaned back, rubbing the sweat off my neck.

"I just got... I just... got... distracted..." Ryo trailed off so when I looked at him, he was staring at my breasts. I bit my lip as I smiled, kind of flattered he found me attractive because he was rated the **third** sexiest man in our school. When he saw me catch me, he turned away to shield his blushing. "Sorry."

"For what?" I asked playfully. Ryo hesitantly turned to face me and I began tracing my fingers on my cleavage.

_Oh, Renji... I miss this..._

"I didn't mean to stare!" Ryo gulped.

_Oh, God... I want you so bad..._

"It's okay. I want you to." I unbuckled my seat-belt as I sat on his lap, Ryo adjusting the seat to give me space. I took his hand and gently placed it on my breast but I put my hands on his shoulders, allowing him the freedom to squeeze. "You can play with them."

_Renji... I need you right now..._

"You sure?" Ryo asked. For some reason, I saw tattoos forming on his forehead. And his hair turning crimson. He had Renji's facial structure and his voice. I felt him squeezing them firmly with both hands.

_I missed you, Renji..._

Renji.

It's Renji.

I'm with Renji!

"Yeah," I said to Renji, playfully teasing him as I smiled, biting my lower lip again. He began to remove my shirt and undo my bra, exposing my breasts as he began playing with my nipples. "They're yours, baby..."

"Yeah?" I saw Renji smirk. Oh, God, he's so handsome...

"Of course, baby. They've always been yours. They'll always be yours. I'm yours..." I leaned close to his ear as one hand groped my tits and the other grabbed my ass. "I want you to have me..."

"How bad do you want it, Inoue?" Renji asked me with a teasing tone. He inserted his hands into my shorts. I couldn't wait any longer.

"So bad! I want you inside me!" I was beginning to breathe heavy as I felt his thumb rubbing my vagina through my panties.

"Fuck yes, I've wanted this for a while. Inoue?" Renji asked.

"Yeah?" I grabbed his manhood, feeling it hard through his pants as I started to unzip it.

"You okay with casual sex? I'm down to be friends-with-benefits with you but I'm willing to go further if you want," Renji suddenly propositioned.

_Huh?_

"What?" I started snapping back to reality when I realized they weren't Abarai's voice.

"You want to be fuck buddies for now? I'm clean, I promise. You got birth control, right? Because I want to cum inside you," Renji said in Ryo's voice.

I felt my heart drop. I was sobering up and I saw Ryo's face. I got off him and quickly covered myself. I looked at him which he responded with a stare of confusion.

_I cheated..._

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pressure you!" Ryo apologized.

"No, no! I'm sorry! I... I didn't know what I was doing..." I started to cry, tears falling on my legs.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay! Look, I'm sorry..." Ryo wrapped my jacket around me as I hugged on it.

"No... I did something bad..." I said, my voice choking up. I started wiping my tears away when I heard Ryo sigh.

"I didn't mean to do that to you. It's not your fault. I'm single, you're single. We're both hurt. We both miss it. And we both want it just as bad. I can't blame you," Ryo assured but I didn't care. He grabbed my chin so that I could look into his eyes. "Look, I didn't mean to seduce you if you felt that way. I don't want to hurt you."

"It's not your fault. I'm responsible for my own actions."

"So am I. You're not the only bad monkey in this situation. I spilled the banana, too, you know!" Ryo joked, making me laugh.

"You're so stupid." I turned to him and smiled. "Thank you for taking care of me."

Ryo smiled, turning the ignition on again, but he kept his eyes on me. "You're welcome."

"Ryo?"

"Yeah?" He looked to me with curiosity, eyeing my body and when his eyes met mine, he saw me giving him a disappointed look.

I made a circular motion with my finger so I can put on my shirt. "Please?"

"Oh. Sorry," he said while turning away.

"Thank you."

When I got done, he backed up but just before we got back on the road, he paused, looking at me. I was rubbing my temple but when I felt us not moving from the location, I saw him staring as if he had a question in mind.

"What's wrong?"

"If you want, I can stay over tonight." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Or maybe not tonight."

"... yeah."

"Okay, then..." Ryo gulped, running his hand through his brown hair. He pulled out glasses that he hid from most of us to get a better view of where he's driving because the road we were in had no street lights. "Are you sure?"

"... no," I said, glaring but keeping a smile because I know he was only partially serious.

"Loud and clear, boss."

_An hour later_

Ryo was nice enough to let me endure the silence as I thought about my actions. When we arrived, I gave him a drink as a way to thank him since he refused gas money. I put my stuff away and started to charge my phone. We spoke for a bit and I told him I was still not over Renji, and that I still thought about him. He sat there and listened, not saying anything because I could sense he didn't come over to listen to me ranting about him. I saw him out the door, hugging him tightly and when we parted, I noticed how extremely handsome he was. He kind of resembled Aizen when he abducted me except he had glasses on. I began to stare at his chocolate colored eyes and we both shared a smile. I felt him hold me closer, my breasts pushing against him and I felt his boner. I raised an eyebrow and pushed him away. But he held on to my hands. He regretfully had to let go when I let a yawn go, taking his glasses off to remove the fog before putting them back on. I realized the night became chilly so he began making his way to his car when I stopped him.

"Ryo..." I called.

"Yeah?"

"If... for some reason... if I'm still single by the time I enroll for school... and you're single... then..." I started to say, exhaling to release steam from my breath.

"What about it?"

"Maybe we could... yeah..."

"Yeah?"

"... yes..."

"We could? I mean? Yeah? We could maybe be friends-with-benefits?" Ryo beamed with optimism that I just had to laugh. I tilted my head when I stopped.

"Uh-huh." I nodded my head enthusiastically, giving him a wide grin.

I kind of expected Ryo to do something immature to celebrate this victory, like throwing roses in the air singing like he were in the opera as if he won a sudden death match. Instead, he just removed his glasses and flashed me a smile that I assumed to be his display of sensual side. Like every other popular guy, he was good lucking and built, and quite the charmer.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Then it's a deal."

"It is," he concluded.

_Why the fuck did I not just say ask me out instead? Something is clearly wrong with me..._

He began making his way to his vehicle, dragging his feet with his hands in his pocket like a typical yakuza or delinquent. He took one last look and we exchanged waves, bidding one another farewell before he drove off. I got in my house after his car disappeared in the corner and began locking my doors. I closed my windows and got into the shower for a quick wash. When I got done, I laid on my bed without having a change of clothes and with my hair still damp. I looked through my phone while it charged, scanning through messages and missed calls. I started browsing the web but when I lost the entertainment, I began to play some music. Lately, I had my playlist filled with indie tunes, Bjork, Cold Play and other stuff that most people normally don't play in our streets. I sat right up when I heard Madness by Muse playing because I started to reminisce. I curled my body as I hugged my legs, paying close attention to the lyrics. I felt myself sobbing. I'm still in love with Renji.

I don't know why I did what I did. I have no excuse. I don't know if Renji is truly dead or there's a chance of him being resurrected or whatever it was, but it was no excuse for me to fill that gap of loneliness. He doesn't deserve me. I just became unfair to him. Instead of grieving for him, I ended up indulging in my own pleasures, of my own fantasies. I even abandoned my friends. Not even Rokujin bothers checking up on me anymore and I think I caused that. I laid on my bed, sobbing as quietly as I could. He didn't deserve to be treated like garbage. I wronged him. I was no better than the other girls from my new clique. And I can't believe I was listening to these people! I don't even know who I am anymore...

One of the girls noticed that I had been single for quite a long time and without regard for my not being over Renji, she advised me to go for a one-night-stand. Yeah, hell to the no. _Sex is just sex_, they would say. I couldn't have sex with just someone who I wasn't investing my emotions with. I wanted more than that. Some recommended me to ask one of the guys to be friends-with-benefits and I just left the answer in the air but I didn't entertain it. I couldn't drag anyone behind my skirt because I'd lose my self-respect, my value. My self-worth. But right now, I feel worthless. One of the girls in our class just got back from a trip she took down to several Asiatic countries such as Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and whatnot for two weeks. She was on a break with her then-boyfriend but we found out she slept with roughly fifteen guys, catching HIV in the process. Her now-ex found out after he found her taking medication to control the strains and literally wore a poison mask, treating her as if she expelled airborne toxins. I couldn't blame him for it, though. Another girl had a one-time fling behind her now-ex's back and she caught HIV as well. Her ex found out when they tried getting intimate and asked why she had to have him use a condom, and when he found out, he let the world know. Then I heard one about a girl catching chlamydia because her boyfriend cheated, though by a twist of irony, she cheated on him after the fact. This was one of the reasons why I had to develop trust before I got in bed with someone and I couldn't get over the fact I once had Renji. He was a quality guy. And that's rare.

I hugged my pillow as I began to muffle my sobs by pursing my lips together, going through my contacts. I needed someone right now because I suddenly felt my world shatter again. I let hot streams fall down my face as I hugged my pillow. I realized I had to struggle looking through names so I had to call the one person I could always rely on and had my complete trust. I started crying a little harder when I finally summoned the courage to call my friend. I couldn't believe I traded them for new people I barely even had anything in common with. I may have reached the summit of my pain and I couldn't take it anymore. I heard the line ringing so I tried to control my crying but I couldn't. At first a male picked up but I didn't realize, despite how quiet I cried, I couldn't stop it so I didn't bother though I cried softly. I looked at the clock Renji bought for me and saw that it was almost midnight.

"Hello?" I heard a groggy voice at the other end.

"Tatsuki..."

It took Tatsuki forty minutes to get here. I heard Chad's car but when I looked through the window, I didn't see him exit with her. She rushed to my door but I jolted to it first. I gave her a chance for one knock when I opened, I felt my eyes beginning to swell in tears, and she came in apologizing how late she was because of traffic at this time and how she went to get some sweets. She placed Chad's car keys on the kitchen table along with the bag of goodies and she turned to face me when she noticed my puppy dog eyes. She stood with one hip extended sideways, supporting the opposite leg while she placed her hands on her hips.

"So what's going on, Orihime?" Tatsuki asked. "Hoi. What were you going to tell me?"

"Tatsuki..." My lips began to tremble as I held two balled fists in front of me as I was charging up, my lower lips pursed upwards like a grouper fish as I began to exaggerate my crying; my eyes were enlarged as a waterfall slowly began to progress from my eyes.

"What's wrong, sis! What happened! Did you get mugged! Oh, no! Did you get raped! Who did this to you! Answer me! Orihime!" Tatsuki began to shake me as she harassed me with a barrage of questions. That did it.

I began to remember who my true friends were. And I tossed them to the shelf. My friends care about me. They made sure I was okay. I began to get clear images of our old group from the very first day I met Tatsuki to when I first entered Soul Society all the way up to now.

These were my _real friends_.

_My friends were **always** there._

_This is what **real friends** do._

**No.**

_This is what **family** feels like._

_This is what **family** does.__  
_**_  
_****_They look out for one another._**

"Tatsuki!" I lunged, tackling her to the ground as I began to pour my tears on her clothes. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry?! What happened?! What's going on! Talk to me! Who did this to you! Who! Tell me so I can kill 'em!" Tatsuki demanded.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"

After about an hour, I explained everything to Tatsuki. She replied by laughing and telling me how adorable I was acting just now. She sighed and began to tell me how everyone parted of their own accord. Tatsuki and Chad got occupied by work so they got tired almost everyday, Ishida began working for his father as an intern for Ryuuken but he decided to train on his own so nobody really saw him while the rest of our friends got busy with college applications and or work. The Karakura Special Forces disbanded of its own will as the Gotei 13 took over operations, starting with Rukia who was the first to distance herself and replacing her were various officers. Right now, Kira Izuru and Shinji Hirako were currently in rotation but I haven't heard from anyone lately. And this resulted in me hanging out with other people.

"I'm sorry we didn't check up on you, Orihime. We all just got busy with our lives. You were the only one trying to keep us together but things got hectic." Tatsuki looked at me with heart-warming eyes as she began eating a slice of chocolate cake.

"I guess I just missed everyone..."

"It's fine. You should make friends though I wouldn't want to hang out with Ayako's crowd. She's the queen bee of sluts."

"I kind of got the idea." I slowly ate a piece but I couldn't help think about how hypocritical I sound.

"Sixty guys? Jesus..."

"W-what?" My hand started shaking, bits of the cake falling on the plate.

"You heard me. Sixty. She's fucked **sixty** guys. You're a saint compared to her, and you've only had _one_ guy."

"Well... about that..."

_Ten minutes later_

I elaborated more of the issue to Tatsuki and she stared at me blankly before roaring with laughter. I was about to cry but I kind of got pissed.

"It's not funny!" I whined.

"Yeah, it is!"

"Tatsuki!" I hugged her.

"Whoa, calm your tits, girl! My goodness, that's not anywhere close to cheating! If Renji is dead that makes you a free woman. But since you didn't do anything and he just touched you, then you just got touched. You still love Renji and that's more important, as long as you aren't doing anything while you're _together_!"

"But-but..."

"I know. It's guilt. Believe me, Renji is not exactly innocent, either."

"Huh?"

"You have to ask him about that one." Tatsuki began to wipe her eyes from crying because of her laughter. "I almost thought this was serious! Like you catching an STD or something..."

"What! No!"

"Good, because I heard Ayumi caught HIV."

"Ew..."

Tatsuki stayed over that night. We ended up catching up and sharing stories, and what she knew so far. She told me about how her and Chad have been, and that they're looking for apartments. I told her about what I've been up to lately, if I met some other guy, and she started playing the role of my mother. We ended up sleeping on the couch watching movies on my TV. When I woke up, I heard Chad and Tatsuki talking. I went to check on them and Chad assured that what I did would not constitute as cheating on Renji because we weren't technically together. They both advised I tell him, anyway, and that he would forgive me if he truly cared. I felt worthless and completely shitty but they didn't leave until I felt better. Both of them promised to gather the old group and just hang out soon. When they left, I showered and changed, and as I prepared to go to the market to do some minor grocery shopping, I heard my phone ringing. It was from the guys at the beach asking when I was available so I ignored them, which resorted to them sending me text messages in paragraphs. Before I had the chance to turn off my phone, it rang once more and I saw a familiar number and name attached to it. I felt anxious but I answered, excitement building up.

"Hello? Inoue-san?"

"Shinji!"

_A few hours later..._

I met up with Captain Shinji Hirako and Rokujin by one of the buildings near my house on its rooftops. I was in a tickle-me-pink shirt and gray sweatpants when I left the house and I noticed Rokujin was in normal clothes that he probably purchased here. I was so happy to see them that I gave them a hug that caught Rokujin by surprise. Then they began to relay their progress to me and I felt myself getting excited to learn some good news. Hiruyaga was requested to investigate a turbulent anomaly fluctuating in the outskirts of Soul Society that connected to our world but she hasn't reported any intelligence to S.R.D.I. who are spearheading the operation with Urahara investigating our end. Captain-Commander Shunsui began taking defensive precautions by amplifying their defensive mechanisms with Captain Kuchiki's tactician skills and Captain Zaraki's spectacular combat skills so he would send a small unit to cover Karakura with at least one captain and one lieutenant, the current officers being Shinji and Kira. They notified everyone else about the situation but I was harder to get a hold of. I had to explain people kept blowing up phone via texts and phone calls so I had a hard time distinguishing who from who. Rokujin sent his forces to act as an international task force to handle problematic issues on a global scale while the Karakura Special Task Force guarded the parameters of Karakura exclusively. I asked about Renji's current condition but so far, nothing has improved but he did not face degradation. He did, however, inform me of Hitsugaya Juushirou entering a similar state so that gave me a glimpse of hope.

"It's been roughly four months since we received any word from Hiruyaga. She volunteered to go alone because she is currently the strongest Hiryu in the Lost City now that Hitsugaya's out of comission. We're trying to cooperate with the Hiryu clan but as of now, nothing has changed," Shinji told me.

"I brought a squadron of my most capable and most experienced combatants with me. They're from the prestigious element trained in the Lunar Temple: the Shadow Chasers. They master the Shadow Moon half of the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha," Rokujin added. "The rest remain in the Hidden Temple."

"What about Hitsugaya? What's happening to him?" I asked and I could tell by Shinji's reaction that there was a meaning behind the question. Rokujin kept a better poker face.

"Hitsugaya entered a comatose stasis and just like Renji, his body is void of any traces of reiatsu. His body is an empty vessel but he performed this task on his own, without any intervention. The only person capable of hurting him would have been Hiruyaga but even so, it takes a lot to kill him. For now, we can assume Renji and Ichigo are in the same realm he is in but we can't be too sure," Rokujin answered.

"I see... so nothing really changed... that's good he isn't dead, though..." I looked at them weakly and judging by their silence they could hear the sadness from my heart.

"We should be ready when the time comes. We'll need all the help we can get," Shinji spoke up. I smiled.

"I can call everyone else and tell them about what's going on. And we can help if we can," I offered.

"Good idea!" Shinji complimented.

"How is everyone, Roku-san?" I asked. "Is... is Hiruyaga okay? Do you think she is?"

I heard a thunderous clap from thick fabric speak for me, followed by a mild gust of wind bellowing near us to acknowledge the arrival of someone. I felt a powerful spiritual force enter our domain and when I turned, there stood Hiruyaga. _She is so beautiful_, I thought to myself. She was in her traditional family uniform but it seemed to be customized for mobilization. Her sudden arrival told me she was an exceptional practitioner of the shunpo technique and I would not deny her the right to be vain about it.

"Why don't you ask her?" Rokujin suggested.

"H-hello, Hiruyaga-sama," I greeted with a bow, hoping to earn her respect.

"Ask me what?" Hiruyaga demanded.

"Oh, n-nothing! I just wanted to know how you all are... that's all..." I averted my eyes. She still terrifies me.

"Oh. You have nothing to be concerned about, child. Everything is going accordingly," Hiruyaga answered.

"That's good..." I held my arms behind me. I was obviously showing signs of intimidation and I heard her sigh. I looked up and I noticed she looked weary. "I hope Hitsugaya comes out from wherever he is."

"I hope so," Hiruyaga whispered, shocking me. I saw her float down gracefully and when she made contact with the ground, she was kneeling as her feet nimbly brought her back up. "I seem to have never formally introduced myself. I am Hiruyaga Motoko Yaburi Hiryu, 2nd Divison Captain of the Death God Squadrons 7 and Princess of the Hiryu Clan. The honor is mine."

I was shocked she even tried to be cordial with me but when she curtsied, I nearly died. I panicked and began a sequence of bowing profusely.

"No! No! The honor is mine! You don't have to! Nobody should have a Hiryu bowing to a lowly person like myself! I am eternally grateful just being in your presence! My name is Orihime Inoue! Please don't demean yourself! I'm not worthy!"

"Such an odd little girl," Hiruyaga said to me, raising an eyebrow. "Stand up right, child."

"Yes, ma'am!" I stood in the position of attention, my legs wobbling.

"Relax, child," she said to me in a maternal way, taking my hand. "Come. If I made you feel uncomfortable in any way, I humbly apologize. You need not to be frightened by me."

I was at ease seeing her trying to smile and I felt her being genuine, somewhat acting like a mother to me. "I... um... I... uh..."

I laughed a little but when I looked at Hiruyaga, her eyes were wide with impatience.

"Spit it out, child," she demanded, causing me to whimper.

"I was just wondering... what do you think happened to Hitsugaya?"

"What about Hitsugaya?" Hiruyaga asked.

"Just... what do you think caused it?"

"Again. What does this have to do with Hitsugaya?" Hiruyaga demanded.

"She wants you to be honest with your real question," Rokujin interjected. I looked at Hiruyaga and saw her beam a smile at me.

"Will Renji be okay?" I felt tears swelling up so fast that I tried hiding my face from her. I felt her kiss my forehead so I had no control over my emotions at this point. "Is Renji... coming back?"

"I believe so, child," Hiruyaga whispered as she pulled me into an embrace. "I believe he will..."

"Thank you, Hiruyaga-sama..." I let go and I saw Setsuka along with Asuna appearing besides Rokujin.

"Oh. Awkward," Setsuka stated, earning a glare from her mother.

"Inoue-nii-san!" Asuna waved at me.

"Asuna! You're here!" I jogged over to her when I saw her and Setsuka flying towards us.

I heard a wicked laugh as a tower of hair started to fill the skies, turning it purple and gray as a murder of crows began flying around the vicinity. A giant skull appeared from a purple storm cloud, lightning bolts attacking the buildings. I ran to Asuna and when I turned to Captain Hirako and Rokujin, I saw them injured from the sudden attack. When I looked up, the mandibles of the skull opened where a witch appeared. Her attire consisted of a frowning kabuki mask, her hair tied in the same manner newly wed wives had done their hair. Her kimono was tattered but I can tell they were once made for royalty. She stopped just fifty yards short in front of us as numerous blades formed behind the skull, the clouds expanding behind it.

"Orihime... run... run..." Rokujin tried to call to me but purple swords of energy pierced his back.

"Asuna... Setsuka..." I turned over to Hiruyaga and realized she had been frozen from the shock. They were both rendered unconscious from the witch's preemptive strike.

"Oh, my, my, my!" the witch said, putting her hand to the mask of her mouth to feign surprise in a theatrical manner.

"Asuna! Setsuka!" I cried as I tried dragging them away but I didn't have the strength for it. I turned to Hiruyaga with tears flowing down my cheeks. "Do something, Hiruyaga!"

That seemed to snap Hiruyaga from her reverie. She took another glance at her daughter and she saw the injuries on her unconscious form, I saw her expression turning from mother into monster. She snarled, her eyes glowing an dark blue which then grew to a malicious scream as she unleashes a powerful shockwave that was her aura, her hair swirling upwards with the furious wind. She withdrew her weapon and immediately went to her O-Bankai mode. Then I felt it again. The immense heat. I recognized this heat! I saw Asuka descend, her hands scorching with fire. She stood by Hiruyaga's side and I saw how remarkable this sight was.

"INOUE, RUN!" Rokujin shouted with his last bits of strength. "She's a sorceress beyond our power!"

"Who... what... who are you..." I whispered, trembling at the sight of this being.

"Silly, girl," she giggled. "Don't you recognize me? I am the one called me Izanami. And I am here to take you back."

"What?" I fell on my butt, landing in between Asuna and Setsuka.

"You dare challenge me? Insult my pride? Harm my family? You think you can get away from this? You disrespectful dog!" Hiruyaga shouted.

"Asuna..." Asuka's voice echoed with a fierce voice accompanying hers, approaching her daughter and kneeling to touch her, causing Asuna to stir.

"Mommy?..." Asuna groaned.

"I am sorry, my child..." Asuka smiled weakly at her, but when she got up, she rushed towards Izanami.

"You will pay!" Hiruyaga shouted.

I saw both of their blades colliding with Izanami's hands, completely ineffective attacks made on her as sparks began to form from her wrists.

"You are nothing but silly puppets, Lady Hiryu!" Izanami laughed, hurling them towards us with an arc-shaped blast.

"You won't get away for hurting my daughter!" Hiruyaga yelled, lunging at her again along with Asuka.

"You will die, fiend! Hikotsu Taihou!" Asuka unleashed a blast of reiatsu from her weapon but it didn't seem to have a scathing effect on Izanami.

"You may be immortal but you are not invincible, Little Hiryu," Izanami barked, sending a charged current of skulls at Asuka. "Give up already!"

"If you knew anything of the blood that ran through our veins, sorceress, you would know we shall never surrender!" Hiruyaga flew to her, engaging the witch with her blade and for a while, she managed to keep her a distance apart but Izanami just laughed.

"Girl, get our babies away from the fight. We'll hold them off!" Asuka got up but she could barely stand.

"But..." I began.

"Just do it!" Asuka stared but I could tell she had a mother's concern.

"Let's go!" Rokujin stood with Captain Hirako on his shoulders.

"Okay, I'll do my best!" I grabbed Asuna and Setsuka, placing them on a section the fallen billboard. Rokujin placed Shinji on the contraption when an unexpected squad of Shinigami arrived.

"Captain Hirako!" Lieutenant Izuru saw the downed Shinji. "Tell us what to do!"

"Grab them. I'll hold off Izanami if she draws near," Rokujin commanded and immediately they went to work.

We managed to move them to safety at a considerable distance outside a building that was being constructed but we still saw Asuka and Hiruyaga fighting Izanami with no advancement despite their combined strength. I got down and began the healing process and a few minutes later, one of the Shinigami against the cement truck. I looked up to see two heavily injured Hiryus. Izanami threw them down near their children and Rokujin did not hesitate to engage her. He spent a few minutes trying to fight her off but he was sent crashing on a section of blocks. Izanami began to approach and tried to reach for me but then a miracle happened. She was hit from a meteor, slamming her from behind. She turned around, massaging her hand as another wave of flaming rocks rained upon her. She growled in anguish and when I saw who was the cause of the attack, I was stunned. She was beautiful. And _familiar_.

"You... you're here..." Izanami flicked her wrist, drawing a naginata of hellish origin.

"I will not allow you to inflict further harm on my family," the woman declared.

"Izayoi of the Juushirou clan." Izanami and Izayoi met at the right elevation but neither instigated combat.

"Leave this place, wretch. I order it," Izayoi demanded, wielding two different weapons in each hand as twelve seraphic wings formed behind her. She was no longer translucent but gorgeous.

"You and what army?" Izanami began to laugh haughtily.

"This army." I turned around to see a furious Commander Jinpachi burning with the fires of indignation, a giant blade held by his hand. He no longer wore his cloak but the standard Shinigami attire but slightly different, probably the ones that predated the current usage of their clothing. Every step he took, his footprints left burning imprints on the cement. Behind him were ghostly warriors but no signs of the other eleven officers. Izayoi landed and both of them joined their daughter, Asuka's mother caressing her cheek.

"Mother?" Asuka stirred. Izayoi gave her a smile and a kiss on the cheek as she brushed Asuka's hair aside.

"My beautiful child. You have grown. And look at Asuna! Oh, how I've missed so much!" Izayoi complimented. Asuka saw her daughter and began to hold her barely awake body but when Asuna's eyes fluttered open, she stared at her grandmother.

"Yo'," Jinpachi called, tapping Hiruyaga with his boot. "Stop sleeping!"

"What..." Hiruyaga regained consciousness and gasped at her brother. "Jinpachi-san! You're here! Izayoi, too!"

"It's so good to see you again, Hiruyaga-nii-san!" Izayoi waved at her sister-in-law.

"Mom?" Setsuka sat up, holding her mother.

"... 'Sup," Jinpachi greeted his niece.

"Jinpachi-sama..." Rokujin greeted weakly, bowing when he caught Jinpachi's attention. Jinpachi caught his cousin before he fell.

"Looks like you've seen better days, Six Faces! Hah!" Jinpachi teased his younger cousin which only made Rokujin smile.

"It's good to see you, sensei..." Rokujin tried standing up but failed. "I can still fight."

"Like hell you can," Captain Unohana's voice came forth and then I saw the other officers. "Sit back, boy. Let us handle this hag."

"Inoue," Izayoi said to me.

"Yes, Izayoi-sama!" I bowed but she picked my head up.

"I will entrust you to take care of my family. We'll finish the problem here."

"Of course! I'm on it!" I began to summon my friends to begin the healing process when I noticed Commander Jinpachi advancing towards Izanami.

"How endearing. The beautiful Hiryu clan reunited! I am touched!" Izanami clutched her heart dramatically.

"Yeah, yeah. Fight now, talk later," Captain Unohana chimed, sending a fist to Izanami's face which actually left cracks on the mask.

"How dare you..." Izanami growled when she recovered.

"Oh, I dare, hag!" Captain Unohana held out her Minazuki as she lunged but specters got in her way.

"You will pay for that, you pig!" Izanami roared, summoning her army while Commander Jinpachi's forces charged with the original Gotei 13 leaders leading the charge asids from Jinpachi himself and Izayoi.

"Asuka, stay here," Izayoi instructed.

"Y-yes, mother..." Asuka bowed, causing Izayoi to grimace.

"Hoi. When all of this is said and over, we'll spar. I want to see how strong you got, yeah?" Jinpachi suggested. Asuka smiled.

"You got it, dad!" Asuka's fist pumped, causing a bewildered Asuna to look at the two of them but she copied their actions, making Jinpachi chuckle.

"Now let's take care of this bitch." Jinpachi pushed himself upwards with his powerful legs, skyrocketing to Izanami as he effortless forced aside Izanami's army with just his shoulders.

"Izayoi... Hitsugaya.. he's..." Hiruyaga began.

"I know. He'll be fine. Izanami is just one problem." Izayoi turned but before she took flight, she took one last look at me, smiling.

"I'll heal them!" I blurted.

"I don't doubt you will." Izayoi lifted herself up with incredible speed _without _the use of her shunpo.

"I got you covered, Inoue-san!" Izuru said as he raised his Wabisuke in a defensive stance. I smiled.

_I am so grateful for such wonderful friends..._

"You fool! I'll squash you like a bug!" Izanami moaned loudly, holding her severely cracked mask.

"Stop complaining, you pissant!" I heard Jinpachi say as I saw him literally walking on air towards Izanami, tapping his back with his weapon. It dawned to me that this was the reason he was called the original Kenpachi.

"You disgusting peons, stand aside!" Captain Yamamoto snarled, punching Izanami's minions with his bare hands.

"Oh yeah! Eighteen down!" cried one of the captains and I realized he looked like Captain Zaraki.

"Amateur. I'm on thirty!" Captain Unohana replied. I saw the ferocity she held and they were in no doubt the strongest generation. The bloodbath was in their favor.

_Finally, the tides have turned!_

"We should move to a safer location," Rokujin suggested.

"Huh? How come?" I asked. I heard Hiruyaga groan but I set her down. "No! You'll hurt yourself even more!"

"What made Jinpachi an extremely powerful foe was his Soul Reaper," Hiruyaga answered.

"We're doomed here if he uses it in public." Rokujin got up and began to carry Asuna while Hiruyaga and Asuka held on to one another.

"Hey, wait a second!" I called out but Izuru's unit already began guarding their radius. It was no use so I started jogging to them. "Why are we moving? And what's so dangerous about him?"

"His ability to copy and attack and use it with the same devastating force or even more than the original wielder. It will ensue cataclysmic results that will generate a cosmic explosion strong enough to tear this world asunder," Asuka said to me.

"What? You have seen this before?" I asked as we steadied our pace. She nodded in response. _Well, duh! He's her father!_

"Inoue!" Ishida called out and when I looked ahead of me, I saw the old Karakura Special Forces regrouped.

"What the hell is that?!" Tatsuki pointed at Izanami who summoned an enormous Chinese dragon that shrieked a thunderous cry.

"One of his deadliest elements is shadow. The will to use any attack just by knowing about it," Hiruyaga told me.

"Plagiarism," Asuka finished her aunt's sentence.

I turned when I heard an even more atrocious roar and a larger dragon; one I saw in movies. I gasped as Inazami's army outnumbered Commander Jinpachi's but his laughter that echoed in the skies revealed he was not intimidated for he summoned numerous doppelgangers resembling him.

"Death of the Dragon! Devil's Cannon Annihilate!" Inazami and Jinpachi cried simultaneously, both directing their beasts at one another's force as a beautiful prism was produced by Izayoi.

_Intimidated?_

I felt goosebumps all over my body as I bear witness to this event...

_Not at all._

_To be continued..._

**_Next Chapter: Hummingbird Heartbeat, Renji._**

**_SNEAK PEAK!_**

_I stood on the high ground as I continued to chop firewood. I don't know why but I felt accomplished doing this. I looked up to see Ichigo with haystacks on his shoulders, a sickle held by one hand as he approached. I never figured that leading a farmer's life would be so fulfilling as I brushed the sweat from my brow. I felt a hand tap me and when I looked, it was Shizuka with a cup of water. I smiled as I took the cup, drinking it within a few gulps._

_"That was refreshing! I feel better already!" I wiped my mouth as I saw Emi running to Ichigo with his own cup._

_"Whoo!" Ichigo quenched his thirst._

_"You need to tell me how you make these elixirs of life," I pleaded._

_"It's just water, darling!" Shizuka giggled, wrapping her arms around me._

_"Well, it's something else." I smiled._

_This is paradise._


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter Ten: Hummingbird Heartbeat, Renji_

"Shit..." I groaned as I began making my way back down to the pavement. I felt my body slam pretty damn hard and I swore my spine columns just broke. Another loud crash was followed by Ichigo landing on his stomach.

"Damn... he got us good..." Ichigo got up, holding his head and when he looked up, he began gritting his teeth.

I managed to bring myself back up to my feet but I nearly fell, using Zabimaru as a prop to keep my balance. We've been training for who knows how long and we've been receiving punishment since we got to the Palace of the Destroyer. Shiva had no mercy for us and she managed to summon a doppelganger of Jinpachi, his spirit form that fought with memory the way Shiva remembered him. Jinpachi was just as ferocious than when I last fought, no _lost_, to him and Shiva reminded that this was an **older** _model_ of Jinpachi. Meaning we're probably fighting his clone that held a mere _fraction _of his strength. We both looked to our right and there we saw the group observing us, which consisted of Shiva herself, Kazujin, Sakura and their dominions. They decided that Jinpachi was more than enough to train ourselves with to understand how to achieve the perfect form.

"What are you two waiting for?" Kazujin scolded.

"Just catching our breath, boss!" Ichigo tried feigning a smile but the moment he took a step forward, he got brought to all fours.

"Fuckin'... shit..." I felt cramps in my abdomen and we stretched for an hour yet Jinpachi's doppelganger was still toying with us!

"He's not going to wait! Push forward if you want to live!" Kazujin ordered.

I grunted. I wanted to throw a rock at him but I did not want to incur anyone's wrath. It's bad enough Jinpachi is our current bully right now.

"That was not a request," Kazujin warned.

He had been a strict teacher for us so far. Sakura taught us how to find serenity when and forced us to use up all of our reiatsu on one of her devices when we practiced a few drills. It exhausted us daily so we had nothing better to do but knock out when we went back home. Kazujin trained us physically with more intensity than Rokujin and Mekujin could ever muster while Shiva would send her Avatars to battle us for good practice.

I looked up and saw Jinpachi charging up an attack, spiritual energy fluctuating from his form wildly as a sphere began to grow to an immense size from the base of his palm. The skies were no longer filled with stars and celestial bodies but flames that expanded throughout the universe. A giant dragon reminiscent to the design westerners drew compared to ours started to take shape and when he released the blast, it came right at us. No, an entire legion of beasts came at us.

"Dragon Cannon!" Jinpachi roared.

"Let's go, Zabimaru!" I shot up in my Bankai form with Ichigo right behind him.

"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!" Ichigo returned to his Bankai state and as we charged towards him, the dragons dispersed, a hail of sparks filling the sky while they began to descend our way.

"Fireworks!" Jinpachi's voice was heard echoing throughout this world.

"Oh, fuck me..." I paused in my tracks and so did Ichigo.

_Flashback to what felt like a year ago..._

Shiva decided to give us room and board in this realm. We lived among the citizens under the watchful eye of the Destroyer in a world fashioned for our people. Those who passed on here were able to watch how our current world is progressing and from what I've seen, Orhime had moved on with her life. I didn't bother watching most of the details she had going on and neither did Ichigo. We just trained like we're supposed to, rest like we're supposed to and some nights, I would miss her. But we met Shizuka and Emi here. Both were killed in the 1990s and both were in their mid-20s. They were pretty much our neighbors and we stayed in small houses away from the industrial living spaces in this world. I bonded with Shizuka and we later became intimate, though I'd feel guilty about engaging in sexual intercourse with her. I was not unfamiliar with sex and I never told anyone that I had several long affairs with some of my colleagues, which included Momo Hinamori, Nanao Ise, Matsumoto Rangiku and Isane Kotetsu among others. I even had one fling with Kurotsuchi Nemu but we were never in any relationship. And at one point, I messed around with Lisa Yadoumaru after she got bored with Ichigo.

I can easily remember how each of them happened. Momo and I had gotten drunk the night before graduation when she followed me to my place. She felt unattractive and I consoled her that evening but then we caved in to one another. For a while, we would sneak off to have sex but when we joined the 5th Division, it became harder especially with Captain Aizen Sosuke taking interest in Momo. We had an amicable end to our casual relationship and she started hanging out with Hitsugaya again, and when I got sent to the 11th Division, I would see Matsumoto after every training session I had with Ikkaku Madarame. But when I decided to focus on being placed in the 6th Division, I had an affair with Isane and just as I got promoted to being the lieutenant under Captain Kuchiki, I begun seeing Nanao for a long period of time, though I had a short-lived thing with Nemu before Ichigo entered Soul Society to retrieve Rukia. When Aizen betrayed us, I began having sex with Nanao again until the end of Quincy invasion. When the Karakura Special Forces got reformed, Nanao and I stopped just two weeks before Orihime and I started, and when she noticed how Orihime was acting towards me, Nanao brought me to the side in our barracks and asked if I was in love with her. I didn't answer but she responded with a smile after noticing my own.

"I'm glad," Nanao told me.

"Eh?" I tilted my head.

"But if it doesn't work out, don't hesitate to ask me to restart what we had." Nanao walked away but turned to give me a wink before leaving me be.

I never told Orihime about them, especially when she told me I was her first. So I tried to stray from that but she'd badger me for questions because I knew what I was doing to be called a novice. She'd get mad, I'd get mad, we'd argue, she'd cry and I'm off to the store to buy ice cream. We'd end the fight by making love and the make-up sex wasn't that bad. She'd ask me if she was better than the other girls but I'd just ignore it.

It wasn't like that with Shizuka, though. She'd come over all the time after getting to know us, and for some reason, she didn't seem pestered by the other girls checking me out. She even suggested I experimented with them, or brought one over to bed with us but I felt too hesitant about the idea. I couldn't even entertain it on my own. It began when she and Emi visited us, and we had dinner. That night after eating, we went to the fields and watched the stars. As cheesy as it sounds, we enjoyed the scene before we tore each other's clothes off. It kept going on for a while and I'd find myself content with this. Because by the time I got back, Orihime would probably be with someone else and I have to deal with it.

I stood on the high ground as I continued to chop firewood. I don't know why but I felt accomplished doing this. I looked up to see Ichigo with haystacks on his shoulders, a sickle held by one hand as he approached. I never figured that leading a farmer's life would be so fulfilling as I brushed the sweat from my brow. I felt a hand tap me and when I looked, it was Shizuka with a cup of water. I smiled as I took the cup, drinking it within a few gulps.

"That was refreshing! I feel better already!" I wiped my mouth as I saw Emi running to Ichigo with his own cup

"Whoo!" Ichigo quenched his thirst.

"You need to tell me how you make these elixirs of life," I pleaded.

"It's just water, darling!" Shizuka giggled, wrapping her arms around me.

"Well, it's something else." I smiled.

_This is paradise._

"Kurosaki, Abarai," we heard Sakura call to us.

"Good morning, Hiruyaga-sama," Emi and Shizuka greeted. I forgot only a few ever called her Sakura.

"Morning, chief!" Ichigo saluted.

"Meet us at the Palace of the Destroyer when you're done. Shiva wants to show you something," she instructed.

"You got it!" I gave her a thumbs up as she left.

"So..." Shizuka started.

"Yeah?" I wrapped her around my arms as her lips got closer to my ears.

"Do you have time for a quickie?"

_Palace of the Destroyer_

"You're late," Kazujin reprimanded.

"Yeah, sorry. We got caught up..." Ichigo laughed nervously as Sakura glared at us.

"Well, you're here so let's go see Shiva." Kazujin led the way but Sakura stopped and when we reached her, she took a sniff.

"You smell disgusting, boys," Sakura told us.

"What? We showered!" I whined.

Sakura didn't say anything. She went after her husband and we remained a considerable distance behind them. They still held hands after centuries of being together. Despite being arranged to marriage, they had genuine love for one another and it wasn't purely political. The family Jinpachi was supposed to be married into ended up being a subordinate to him after they tried waging war which Takehiko instigated but it wasn't necessarily bad. The Juushirou family were filled with masters of science and law, and combining that with the physical prowess of the Hiryu family created an unstoppable force. It gave birth to Asuka and Hitsugaya's legacy that barely clings on to life, and into our veins. We stood on a pedestal after passing through numerous halls and we shot skyward, passing through numerous planes and when we arrived in our destination, I was shocked. We were in Shiva's private place. I got off and several shrine maidens were minding their business when several of Shiva's personal guards approached us.

"General Hiryu, Lady Shiva awaits your presence in her quarters," the leader of the guards informed.

"We'll be on our way, then." Kazujin led our pack as the guards bowed, letting us through.

We were in heaven. We walked on clouds before going down a long flight of stairs that led to an ethereal plane. There was water and several semi-nude nymphs gliding on the surface. There were several rows of rocks that floated to a giant one that I assumed to be Shiva's personal space. When we got the location, we saw several obelisks that appeared to be gates to other worlds. Kazujin and Sakura looked at us without uttering a word. We just blinked at them.

"These three portals lead to different areas. To your left leads to the past, the middle would be the present and the right would be the future," Kazujin said.

"Where are we going?" Ichigo asked.

"The past," Sakura answered, following her husband to the gate.

When we entered, we flew into a zone that was filled with light before reaching the end of the hyperspace. When the flash of light ended, I heard a woman crying in pain. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Izayoi on a bed of hay with Jinpachi standing next to her, her hand held by his. He took on a different appearance: instead of what everyone was familiar with, he appeared the way he did when we first became acquainted. The only thing missing was the large demonic arm and the hood and Izayoi seemed to have grown her hair longer. Her stomach was large and I realized she was about to give birth. Several of their allies stood guard, with Hiruyaga nearby. Rokujin was in the furthest corner in a prayer while Mekujin began directing some of the guards to stand watch. I looked at the sign and it read _Toushirou Inn_, causing me to stare.

"The day the twins were born," Kazujin commented darkly.

"This inn is located in Junrinan, the 1st District," Sakura added.

"It was around the time Jinpachi left the newly formed Gotei 13 leaderless and for a while, Ichibei Hyousube assumed control with Tenjirou Kirinji and Ooetsu Nimaiya before they took up positions in the Royal Guard. Back then, the only person who stood by their side openly from the first generation was Senjumaru Shutara, Jinpachi's last disciple, though Kirinji and Unohana were more than willing to side with Jinpachi from that particular generation." Kazujin walked to stand by Jinpachi's side while he knelt besides Izayoi, helping calm his pregnant wife down.

"Captain-Commander, I'm sensing a powerful influx of energy near us. Shall I investigate, sir?" Captain Shutara asked.

"It's Nimaiya and Genryuusai, and it seems they brought the bulk of their forces with them," Hiruyaga replied.

"We can handle this, Jinpachi-sama. We'll leave Rokujin with you guys," Mekujin offered.

"What?! I can fight!" Rokujin stood up.

"You're not leaving this place defenseless! Not while Izayoi is in labor! All of you, stay here. I'll go meet them and rip them apart," Jinpachi growled but she grabbed his wrists.

"No..." Izayoi moaned.

"Izayoi..." Jinpachi whispered.

"I need you here... with me... stay..." she begged as she felt another wave of pain hit her.

"General, we can't stay here any longer and I don't think any of us can hold them off," one of the guards told Jinpachi.

"Fight to the death, then!" Jinpachi ordered and they replied with enthusiasm.

"Sir!" they said simultaneously, saluting their leader's courage despite the odds laid out in front of them before scrambling to stand guard.

"Even knowing of their impending doom, Jinpachi still held the charisma of a brilliant leader. He became the general of the warrior branch in our clan, earning him the title of Hitokiriken Jinpachi Yaburi Hiryu Zarubari no Taishou. But he completely disowned our clan for his own purposes, cutting off ties with the Hiryu clan." Kazujin placed a soothing palm on his son's shoulders.

"Where did Zarubari come from?" Ichigo asked.

"We'll show you in a bit," Sakura said. She walked over to Izayoi and smiled remorsefully at her daughter-in-law.

"Yo'!" Kirinji announced, kicking the door open as he walked in by himself.

"About time, Tenjirou," Captain Shutara remarked.

"I hope you didn't leave a trail, you loud-mouth bastard," Mekujin hounded at the captain.

"Eh?! What did you say?!" Kirinji and Mekujin were about to get into it when Hiruyaga held both of their throats, lifting them up in the air.

"Set aside your egos! Izayoi needs medical attention! NOW!" Hiruyaga shouted, releasing them from her grip.

"Ken-chan!" Izayoi yelled in agony.

"Hold on a bit longer, Yaya! Stay with me! Izayoi!" Jinpachi held her head close to him.

"Jinpachi... we need to seek father's help..." Hiruyaga said solemnly.

"No. I don't want to be near that bastard right now," Jinpachi barked.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Izayoi was losing so much spiritual energy just by the conception of the twins. She was predicted to die during the process of child birth and I opted to abort the everything to save her life. Jinpachi left our clan to avoid total war and adopted the name given to him by Shiva, Zarubari. The name was a combination of Zaru and Senninbari, two separate techniques he learned when he achieved a power beyond the Star King form; the Zaru taught him how to completely ignore mutilation and proceed with the fight while the Senninbari taught him discipline and repetition. He ascended to a new level of power no simple mind can fathom in a lifetime no matter what caliber of power they can sustain," says Kazujin as he began pacing slowly around the room with his hands behind the small of his back.

"Jinpachi reluctantly left us but spoke to me. The first generation regarded him as a pawn of the Ghost King but he was always our son and Izayoi's sentinel. Izayoi never wanted to sacrifice her children's lives for hers so Jinpachi was furious for his father even considering it. She was such a sweetheart that I could not bring myself to think of her dying so I left the choice up to them." Sakura got up and sat near the couple as Izayoi groaned.

"Kirinji, what can you do to ease her pain?" Jinpachi inquired, holding on to his dear wife.

"Right now, not shit. Those two dumplings in her belly have strength beyond my level of anesthesia but I can try to take care of her healing process right when she gives birth to both of them." Kirinji began rubbing his chin as he inspected Izayoi's abdomen.

"Jinpachi... they're coming!" Izayoi bit on Jinpachi's haori.

"Shutara! Get ready!" Jinpachi ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Shutara situated herself in between Izayoi's thighs as Jinpachi coached her into pushing.

"You're doing fine! Come on, darling! Keep pushing! We're going to build a family together and raise them until we die! You're going to get mad at me for teasing you about your stretch marks and you're going to hate your son's wife because she'd probably sleep with half of Seireitei before they wed!" Jinpachi says in the same manner a drill instructor would. Izayoi narrowed her eyes but that didn't stop her husband.

"I see the head! Keep going, Izayoi-sama!" Shutara commented. Hiruyaga got one of the clean blankets ready for the first child while Izayoi screamed.

"You can do it! Come on!" Jinpachi yelled. "Get out of my wife's womb, you bastards! You prolonged your stay!"

"One last push..." Shutara informed and all we heard was a deafening scream from Izayoi.

"Oh, my God... I'm going to faint..." Rokujin stated and true to his word, he fainted. Mekujin approached him and slapped his face.

"It's... it's... it's a girl!" Shutara told them, handing off the child to Hiruyaga who gladly wrapped her infant niece.

"Good job! One more!" Jinpachi uttered with the same tone. Izayoi glared at her lover who replied with an anxious smile before she decided to take this moment to relax.

"All right, time to get ready! Yo'! Medics! Prepare the barrier!" Kirinji cracked his knuckles.

"Here, brother, say hi to your little angel," Hiruyaga says, handing her to Jinpachi, which he nervously took, obviously afraid of breaking the fragile child.

"I want to see her," Izayoi said.

"She has your nose," Jinpachi whispered as Izayoi cooed.

"And your eyes," Izayoi whispered back while the child cried. "What should we call her?"

"I was thinking about naming her after my mother and yours," Jinpachi replied.

"Hiruyaga Hitome?" Izayoi asked.

"Better: Asuka Sakura," Jinpachi responded, smiling. Izayoi smiled as she kissed her daughter but handed her to him the moment she felt pain.

"The other one! It's coming!" Izayoi screamed.

"Shutara!" Jinpachi roared.

"On it, sir!" Shutara got ready as Izayoi pushed. "I can already see the head!"

"Oh, God! Ken-chan!" Izayoi screamed, biting on Jinpachi's arm but he ignored it.

"And... it's a boy!" Shutara shouted with joy as she handed him to Hiruyaga.

"A boy!" Izayoi gasped.

"He's handsome, Yaya. This one takes after you more than him," Hiruyaga said, nodding to her brother.

They brought their babies to the couple, Jinpachi holding on to Asuka while Izayoi held on to the boy who would eventually be Hitsugaya. Izayoi passed out, causing everyone to panic for a moment but Kirinji and his assistants went to work. After about thirty minutes, Izayoi awoke with Hitsugaya still in her arms. The children stopped crying as everyone whispered to one another, several congratulating them while Shutara began weaving a comforter for the babies to lay down on. I turned to Kazujin and I could see that he had regret in his eyes for not trusting Jinpachi's judgment. This was a war between three factions; there was Soul Society and the Gotei, Jinpachi and his small force, then we had the Ghost King. A familiar demon appeared near Jinpachi as it observed the sleeping children. Even though everyone saw it, nobody seemed troubled.

"Before Soul Reapers were formed, ancient weapons called the Death Force was used. The cost for high power sent souls to oblivion so Zangetsu forged Soul Reapers with his will without the penalty a Death Force had. In time, Soul Slayers were created but Jinpachi had a Death Force, and with that, he created the Soul Reapers, Zantetsuken and the Genjutsurugi, for his children before they were born. His Soul Slayer has long since been obliterated but the Death Force does not allow him to die until his mission is complete," Kazujin said.

"Were the Death Force weapons like Soul Reapers and Soul Slayers?" Ichigo asked.

"No. Unlike the two, a Death Force was inside their master's will. And these were tools for a massive war before clans were united. When a Death Force is created, it always has an origin, such as Zangetsu's where his Death Force was the arm of a high priest who worshiped the moon and took on the form of a staff. His Death Force eventually helped him create the Tensa Zangetsu and his clan's symbol was the manji. Jinpachi's own Death Force, however, has an even darker history. During the first war when the world was still raw, the Ghost King was badly wounded by the primordial gods, one of them being Shiva. Izanagi wounded him enough to where the Ghost King's fang was chipped and from there, a Death Force was created. Many have tried but only Jinpachi was successful to wield it up to this day. Its name we do not know, but Jinpachi called it the Zenumuron. And among many of its dangers included a special technique called Plagiarism, where he can copy any technique and use it to his advantage whenever he wanted to, and Fireworks, arguably his most powerful attack that can destroy anything and anyone based on his intent to kill," Kazujin added.

"While the Death Force can function similarly like the aforementioned weapons, they have their own will and do not call their wielder's masters until they have the right power to control their might. Otherwise, they risk meeting their end and becoming something far worse than Hollows. Soul Reapers were created as a type of progeny but they are nowhere near as powerful as a Death Force, and a Soul Slayer never evolves unlike the two but only the Soul Reapers are capable of living once their masters die while a Death Force, once mastered, dies with their wielders, making the Death Forces obsolete by the time the Gotei 13's first _re-constructed _generation was brought to life and records were extensively altered by the urging of the Soul King," Sakura included. "If a Soul Reaper lives on, if not found by a worth master, it becomes a plain weapon and is no longer to be used, and most Soul Reapers are held as artifacts while a Death Force disappears and moves on to the afterlife with their master to triumph even in their passing. Because of the fearsome powers a Soul Reaper and a Death Force represent, the Soul King commissioned the Soul Slayers as primary weapons because only they are qualified to purify souls, unlike the their predecessors that merely consumed souls."

"This is part of the main reason why Jinpachi's era was the strongest of the Death Squad and the Gotei 13; because Jinpachi held a Death Force, a Soul Reaper and in time a Soul Slayer, while several members who are now deceased held Soul Reapers before the vast majority began using Soul Slayers. What made them a dangerous element was how Jinpachi managed to keep them organized because in the past, it was a dog-eat-dog world and the previous incarnations of the Death Squad faced much betrayal and civil war. With Jinpachi, many feared he would use his Death Force to orchestrate Soul Society to fall in submission of his own volition so they had a reason to arrest and possibly execute him," Kazujin said.

We turned to Jinpachi when we felt the ground trembling. The world turned dimmed for a few seconds as if a shadow loomed by, causing Jinpachi to go on alert. He took one last look at the exhausted Izayoi with their children before he went for the door, holding his Death Force in hand. Shutara and Kirinji were preparing to follow him when he stopped them in their tracks. Jinpachi sighed before giving them a weak smile.

"You're not coming with me," Jinpachi told them.

"What? Oh, fuck no! You don't expect to call me way out here and let you assholes take the glory, eh?!" Kirinji whined.

"Commander, with all due respect..." Shutara began.

"It has been paid," Jinpachi interjected.

"I would feel more comfortable assisting you, sir. We are already criminals by association," Shutara asserted. "Let me go with you. Kirinji is better at healing so he will stay here."

"Bullshit! I'm just as strong as you are, Senjumaru!" Kirinji came face-to-face with Shutara, gritting his teeth yet smiled at his colleague.

"Which is why I need you all here," Jinpachi said, getting their attention before continuing. "I can handle those brats but I need you here in case I falter. I am not going to kill them all because there are some good people in their ranks. I just need to draw their interests elsewhere."

"Then let at least Rokujin and I go with you!" Mekujin begged.

"Do you not understand?" Hiruyaga told him. "The only person capable of surviving the onslaught of the Gotei 13 with him is me yet I know why I am not going. Izayoi needs all the help she can get while she's helpless and despite her recovering state, she can still destroy half of this room. Jinpachi knows I want to fight by his side but... I understand what's important to him."

"Thank you... sis..." Jinpachi smiled before putting on a serious face.

"My love... what should we name our son?" Izayoi asked. Jinpachi thought for a moment looking at the ceiling as he rubbed his stubbled chin.

"I was thinking about naming him Hitokiriken Hitachi but that would have been too redundant and people would get confused," Jinpachi pondered.

"Yes, because there are already so many prefixes. What's gotten you so interested with combining our parents' names anyway?" Izayoi asked.

"My grandfather, like the past Hitokiriken before him and my father as well as myself, was Jinpachi. I could not allow myself to be disgraced by naming him in memory of my grandfather the way my father named me after him. Should I die, I would not like my son to think less of me..." Jinpachi revealed.

"Our son will _never_ think less of you and neither will our daughter, darling," Izayoi promised.

"But then I thought about it. My grandfather was nicknamed Kenpachi before I assumed the title for being the best swordsman since Kenji's era, thus creating the Kenpachi title in honor of Kenji Mishima. And your father, Hitachi, was called Hitsugaya after the legendary guardian during harsh winters," Jinpachi finished, looking out the window.

"It's snowing! Look, mommy!" Setsuka jumped up and down as she gazed outside the inn. Hiruyaga joined her, holding Setsuka as they shared what could have been their last moment under other circumstances.

"It is, Setsuka," Hiruyaga said, kissing her daughter's head.

"Then we'll call him Hitsugaya," Izayoi concluded, her voice trembling. Jinpachi smiled.

"I'm telling you, old fart, we can waste those fuckers! I hate half of them anyway!" Kirinji suggested, clenching his fists but kept a smirk on his face.

"Take us with you, master, I insist!" Shutara pleaded.

"Captain Tenjirou, nobody in the Gotei knows of your hidden allegiance with me and expected Captain Unohana to defect. They will expect Captain Senjumaru to be with me but I can't allow you to face execution for our sake." Jinpachi lowered his face slightly with a serious demeanor, his muscles flexing as the spirit of Zenumuron absorbed into its master.

"I don't understand. You bring that bitch, Yachiru, but not us?!" Kirinji complained. "This blows!"

"Unohana was once my disciple and is the current Kenpachi. We need to drag the Gotei away from here before they decide that my children, _our_ children, are liable." Jinpachi tensed as he said this. "I won't allow them to be used as leverage."

"Then we'll destroy them!" Rokujin cried.

"Not if our father decides to align himself with the Gotei," Hiruyaga warned. "It will be chaotic to fight two forces and we're already dealing with the Ghost King."

"Exactly. Just stay here, I will meet Unohana at the battlefield," Jinpachi opened the door but surprisingly, Unohana was there. "You're here early."

"Yo'. Why the long face, Kirinji?" Captain Unohana smirked.

"Keep smiling and I'll wipe your God damn face on the fuckin' pavement!" Kirinji returned with a smirk of his own.

"Whatever. Yo', Commander, the Gotei knows you're around here but not exactly where. We gotta' get moving before they find your secret hideout." Unohana threw her zanpakutou over her shoulder, leaning against the door frame. "What's up, Captain Juushirou? Lookin' good!"

"Thank you, Unohana," Izayoi said weakly.

"Kiss the babies for me, would ya'?" Unohana waved with two fingers.

"With your dead body!" Kirinji cracked his neck, holding his zanpakutou with one hand.

"Enough!" Jinpachi ordered, stepping out before taking one last look at Izayoi.

"I love you, darling... please come back to me..." Izayoi said to Jinpachi.

"And I love _you._ And I will do my best, but for now..." Jinpachi bowed, putting his hood up. "Let this be the day for them to remember that they _almost _caught Captain Jinpachi Zarubari! Yo'!"

"Later, bitch," Unohana said to Kirinji before she followed Jinpachi, who held up his cloak like Count Dracula before running off into the distance.

"That motherfucker!" Kirinji began to shake in his anger but calmed down after Shutara placed either hand on his arms.

"The Heartbeat of the Hummingbird..." Sakura whispered, causing Ichigo and I to look at each other before looking to Izayoi weeping yet holding a smile at her newborns. Sakura smiled as she glanced at her grandchildren while their mother sang them to soothe their turbulence.

"Jinpachi met with the Gotei 13 miles out with Unohana flanking them. She was branded a traitor but Jinpachi managed to convince Unohana that he forced her into his plot. Kirinji was the 4th Division commander before he joined the Royal Guard. Jinpachi managed to drag them away from Izayoi's location where she found sanctuary with her family, and since the Gotei had no jurisdiction nor the firepower to enter their domain since attacking the Juushirou clan would force the Hiryu to retaliate, along with their many allies. The fight alone took many of the Gotei 13's lives with only Unohana and Yamamoto remaining since Ichibei, Kirinji, Nimaiya and Shutara entered the Royal Guard. Yamamoto banned all Soul Reapers by then and the outlaws made their way to the Lost City under the leadership of Rokujin and Mekujin, who served as unofficial co-kings. Jinpachi remained the last prince of our clan but left before I could officially retire the clan on to his name," Kazujin said as we watched Izayoi staring at her children while she wept.

"We raised Asuka as our own while Hitsugaya was raised by Izayoi with her family. The plan was to keep them separated so nobody could harm the children. When the Ghost King led an unexpected assault in their young adult years, Hitsugaya led the attack and Jinpachi was brought back from his silence. For a while, the family managed to get to know and love one another before Jinpachi descended to the depths of chaos with the Ghost King, and since then, Asuka has screamed vengeance, marking Izanami as her personal target since she killed Asuna's father, her lover, long after Jinpachi had been considered deceased. Kazujin and I fled to the Star King's realm to find Adonai to grant us the power to restore what we lost when we learned of Asuka's retribution. If we interfere now, it would call upon divine intervention and that could bring forth the destruction of the cosmos, and Jinpachi made it his goal to stop his daughter while he represented Izanagi but got side-tracked when he found a window of opportunity to obliterate the Ghost King himself. So now we need you two; you who have access to this realm without dying because of the blood that ruins through your veins. You will be our herald as we are heralds for Shiva. You are here to make sure Jinpachi's mission does not stray because while Asuka could blindly destroy this world, it could only happen if Jinpachi rips open another wormhole and takes advantage of the situation for he is at the pinnacle of his power. He has reached his prime. He can use the Prima Materia to destroy the Ghost King and his allies once and for all without killing the universe," Sakura said grimly.

"So you need Jinpachi alive yet let him use the Prima Materia for his own use?" Ichigo guessed.

"Yes and no. Asuka would have almost no interest in the aether or the energy to understand what it's for while Jinpachi was destined to restore balance but with the way things are starting to unfold, Jinpachi could use to the power of the aether to terrorize all that is evil and he would change the world into his own Garden of Eden but doing so would require the strength of Adonai, which he has yet to obtain, so we need you to make sure he does not stray from his original goal. While Jinpachi is powerful, he has his limits and challenging Adonai would end his life. What Asuka would do with the aether is to enslave the universe the way she sees fit as a form of true justice but they would live in fear while Jinpachi would disrupt balance if provoked. Either way, misuse of the Prima Materia could be the universe in jeopardy and this is where you come into play. You are there to make sure balance remains and this can result in restoring the puzzle pieces together and to do so, you must generate a plan in affecting Jinpachi's course of action with an unconventional method; the last piece is Orihime Inoue and the both of you need to make sure she does her job," Kazujin said ominously.

"What?! Why?! What does she got to do with this fight?!" I was beginning to feel anxious at the thought of her being used. "Is she a weapon?!"

"No. But she is necessary. Inoue has the unique ability to reverse the flow of time to restore balance. Renji, to probably restore the balance in the universe... we may have to force a completion of the Prima Materia and this would awaken Adonai to fix the universe. The Prima Materia is currently violent, and to soothe it would require several things: Orihime's unique abilities, Jinpachi's raw power and a chaotic stream from the destruction of the Ghost King. Your memories will be wiped out but history will not erase and shall continue to run its course at a safer pace, and will put our families and those after us at peace," Kazujin answered with a grim expression. My heart stopped.

"What are you saying..." I dreaded the response to this question and while we watch a replay of Jinpachi's battle with the Gotei, I felt my eyes stinging with pain. The scene changed and we were back on the platform, and in front of us were the three gates. Shiva came out from the middle gate dressed as if she was ready to assassinate someone.

"Time will restart. You will forget about everything that happened and be returned back to the proper time before the strange anomalies began, starting before Aizen's betrayal," Shiva replied for us.

_Flashback ends_

Ichigo and I agreed to become strong enough to unlock the true power of the Star King. And to do that, we need to calm down the aether that gave life to Shiva. It was known as the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird, and in order for us to do that, we needed to learn how to let go of the past and look forward to the future, despite how much it hurts us, freeing all restraints that burdened our hearts will help us find inner peace and help us obtain a power similar to the Star King's might. And for us to realize this, we contemplated and fought past versions of Jinpachi and his ancestors.

Ichigo and I couldn't think about being away from our respective lovers. What would happen to me? Would I end up with Nanao? Rukia? How will I react when I see Orihime? Why did we even agree to this?

_How am I going to get over Orihime?_

It was silly because I've been with Nanao longer but what I felt for her will never amount to what I felt for Orihime. I felt love and passion. I couldn't cry at the thought of losing her. I had no more tears. But I remembered to put others before me. And I can't be selfish. I know Jinpachi has a motive. I know there's a missing link. I know there's a reason for everything. But what?

I smiled at the beautiful display of fireworks and I had a small flashback. I was at Orihime's work and she was dancing to Sara Bareilles' music. I was eating a slice of cake as she prepared to close. It was Brave playing and when she was done, she joined me, sharing my cake. I remember that night, she asked if I wanted to be hers forever. I said yes and she told me she wanted to be mine for eternity. She asked me to never stop loving her and I agreed. That night we walked home and it was snowing but fireworks were lighting up the sky. She laughed and I stared at her. I decided then and there that I fell in love with her. The **queen** of _my_ **soul**.

_I love you, Inoue..._

**Fireworks.**

_I love you so much..._

**Fireworks.**

_I don't want to let you go..._

**Fireworks.**

_I can't let you go..._

**Fireworks.**

_I don't want to let you go!_

**Fireworks.**

_Orihime!_

**Fireworks.**

_I love you! Orihime! I love you!_

I felt tears stinging as they began to flow through my eyes for the first time in ages. I grit my teeth, and I felt myself being overwhelmed. I stared at the vibrant display, ignoring everything when I suddenly felt my heart steadying its pace. These were beautiful fireworks. Everything that I found beautiful involved her and fireworks. That was how our love was like; _**a vibrant display of fireworks**_. And I was in paradise. Ichigo floated next to me, both of us caught up by the fireworks and I can tell he, too, did not want to give up someone he loved. As I thought of Orihime, I heard Eden by Sara Bareilles playing as a visible cosmic wavelength formed around the fireworks and I fell to my knees, crying and shouting her name, shouting my love for her and I lost my will to fight for death.

"FORGIVE ME! RUKIA!" Ichigo screamed.

"I ACCEPT IT! ORIHIME!" I cried.

_I accepted the change._

_There's no going back down... because life in Eden could change..._

_Life isn't fair..._

_But love doesn't disappear if someone says it isn't there..._

_Yes..._

_Eden..._

"Fireworks!" Jinpachi shouted as the heavenly missiles surrounded by celestial fire made their way towards us, the beautiful display resonating romantic rays of light.

We heard them yelling at us to not just stand there but neither of us cared. We accepted our fate. Nothing was worse for our lives were doomed at the knowledge we were going to end up restoring the innocence of misery we shared. We're going back to the beginning but I wasn't entirely sad. I smiled at the fireworks. It is so beautiful.

_This is our fate._

_This is our destiny._

_The seeds of love lost in the sands of time._

_Fireworks._

I sat on my heels, my knees on the ground as I embraced death. I continued to gaze at the oddly slow missiles as more fireworks exploded. My vision began to blur. I fell on my back and I turned to see Ichigo staring at me. I heard Shiva's guards yelling in muffled voices as several ran to us, some motioning for an emergency team of trauma specialists to get us back to health or inspect our condition but Kazujin and Sakura walked to us slowly with Shiva leading the group. I felt Ichigo grab my hand and I gripped his, further emphasizing our brotherhood, the bond that we shared, the battles we fought and accepted the choke-hold of the inevitable. I looked up, continue to smile at the exploding fireworks where I vividly saw the image of Jinpachi and next to him was Izayoi, their children and their family smiling down at us. Behind them was almost every incarnation of the Gotei 13 and as my vision faded, a bright light that I assumed to be a star began to glow, expanding slowly to envelope my entire field of sight, my body growing cold yet I felt hot tears flowing from my eyes. I kept my smile perpetually embedded on my face because if I ever died, I wanted the world to know I died with a purpose.

"You did it," Shiva whispered. Right behind her were Kazujin and Sakura.

_Orihime..._

"Renji..." I heard Orihime's voice call out to me and there she was, coming out from that beautiful light, her smile wide as she held out a hand while I tried to reach out to hers but my arms went limp.

"You have found the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird..." Shiva told us, a smile on her face as my world turned black.

I felt myself travel through the stars, hearing the chorus of Eden playing continuously, floating in an endless serenade through time. Ichigo floated with me before we stopped in front of a white nebular cloud. There I saw a goddess, her beauty radiating a holy light. Her body was a temptress, her hair flowing from an invisible wind, her eyes speaking of elegance as I noticed how revealing her attire was but I did not desire sexual thoughts. I felt at peace.

"Welcome to my world, Renji, Ichigo," she said to us, her arms opening up, pulling us towards her in a motherly embrace.

_Her voice is so calm..._

"The Heartbeat of the Hummingbird is yours..."

"Who are you?" I said.

"I am Adonai."

_To be continued_

_**Next Chapter: Wide Awake, Orihime**_

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_"Renji!" I felt tears forming as I saw him. I held my injured arm as I stood frozen when he approached._

_"I'm back," Renji says, his appearance completely different from the way I remembered him yet I remembered his face perfectly._

_I started running to him with tears flowing down my cheeks but before the light disappeared, I saw another person stepping out from it. I felt myself stop as my eyes got wide, an old fear surging through my body. I recognized this man. He stood next to Renji, smiling as he inhales the fresh scent of freedom once again. He was wearing the same uniform the last time I saw him albeit slightly tattered. I felt terror rising through my skin once more. The bane of my existence._

_"Aizen..."_

"It's good to see you... Orihime," Aizen said to me.

**AN: **I decided to end this series with a total of thirteen chapters. Please correct me if I'm wrong about anything; comments are always welcome. Flames can be burned by Yamamoto's Bankai. And you will receive a roundhouse from Chuck Norris.


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter Eleven: Wide Awake, Orihime_

I can't sleep.

It was midnight two months after the Izanami's assault and the surprise visit by Jinpachi and Izayoi. We were back at the Hidden Temple and everyone was filled with so much joy by their return. Jinpachi took over the Lost City as its sovereign while Rokujin began coordinating the military units, including the elite Shadow Chasers that Jinpachi once led. Mekujin re-established the old Solar Hoplites that once served as auxiliary units to the Shadow Chasers while Jinpachi and Izayoi began coordinating plans with the newly established High Council; Hiruyaga oversaw Hitsugaya's operation but Asuka was left on a hunt, leaving Asuna in my care along with Setsuka. Jinpachi informed us that Renji and Ichigo have entered the Star King's realm to receive a powerful object called the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird which was necessary to obtain the Prima Materia. The Heartbeat of the Hummingbird amplified one's abilities, making them nearly god-like and it was needed for upcoming fight against the Ghost King whose powers surpasses any of ours. Before he could lecture Asuka and avert her dangerous path, she was gone to find answers so he sent Captain Unohana and Captain Yamamoto to retrieve her before she makes any drastic decisions.

It was two months in our world but nearly a year here. I spent most of my time meditating and helping rebuild the Lost City the way Jinpachi had it set. The Royal Guard paid him a visit and kept their meetings clandestine so we aren't too sure what was on their agenda. Captain Shunsui and Captain Ukitake made many visits to the Hidden Temple to inform us of the progresses made because more issues came forth since Izanami's appearance. The real Orochi opened a portal near the lawless regions of Rukongai so some of the older captains from Jinpachi's era stood watch to observe anything coming out of it, especially the Orochi. From what Izayoi could recall, Jinpachi managed to damage it enough to force its retreat but now that war was ahead of schedule, they had to make fast changes to their original plans which included having Jinpachi retrieve the trio who entered a comatose stasis. I spent my time near Nemu whenever I visited Renji but nobody could do anything. The process itself was rather arduous and its historical records have long since been obsolete that not even the expertise of Rokujin nor Mekujin could muster the knowledge to speed up their trials.

I left my room and decided to take a midnight stroll when I saw Jinpachi and Izayoi in one of the secret gardens that people barely entered. They were near a beautiful fountain where the moonlight shines, Izayoi sitting on it while Jinpachi stood, occasionally caressing her fondly while glaring at the moon. I looked up and saw it was full and I began to reminisce how Renji would often stare at it with me. He would tell me tales about Zabimaru and the moon, and how soothing it was for him to sit alone in his barracks whenever he was disturbed. I accidentally took a step forward, crushing a tree branch and hoped nobody heard me but I failed.

"We know you're out there, child," Jinpachi called out. I revealed myself shyly as I bowed.

"You need not bow to us, Orihime," Izayoi said and I saw she had a motherly smile sent towards me.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you!" I began to blush.

"Relax. We knew you were here the second you entered our secret hideout. It's fine and you're welcome to stay," Jinpachi said. Izayoi patted the ground next to her.

"Sit," she motioned for me. I walked over and sat up straight.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again.

"Don't worry! We aren't alarmed! But it is a beautiful scenery, no?" Izayoi looked up at her lover who stared at the moon.

"I remember all the lives we had when we walked among the denizens of Soul Society and how we used to sneak off to the mortal realm. I was a farmer once. And a ronin. And in modern times, I was a soldier," Jinpachi reminisces.

"I remember. I served as a delegate to the royal family and a pediatrician when you were in the U.S. Army. It was funny watching you turn American!" Izayoi laughed.

"It was, wasn't it?" Jinpachi turned to me and I noticed he didn't have a grumpy expression. "I served as a Master Sergeant in what was known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta but I was in the 75th before that. I had myself killed during the first invasion of Afghanistan. I was in a field op with three of my subordinates and I knew my time was coming up. I remember my alias: Cris Eisenhower. They used to call me Grizzly at that time period. I debated on resurrecting myself as a Force Recon Marine but I was already pushing it. By then, several members of our families speculated we were still alive causing mischief in your world so we decided to jump back here."

"Oh?" I started fidgeting with my fingers as Jinpachi told me this.

"I remarried Jinpachi over and over everytime we went back to the mortal realm but we never had children. We still had our powers as Shinigami," Izayoi said, brushing her hair aside.

"I always did love those times. And the nights we spent together glaring at the moon. Before I met Izayoi, I would stare at it, be humbled by it as I contemplated. I had the power to jump but I knew my fangs would never reach the moon. So I felt frail and decided then and there when I met Izayoi that I would not simply be the foolish monkey that jumped at the water reflecting its image but the wise shepherd who protected his flock from the hungry wolves," he said.

_Renji. These were similar words Renji would say to me._

"I would howl continuously when I met this beautiful woman," Jinpachi said, looking into her eyes, rubbing her cheek as she pressed it against his palm, touching his hand as well. "I found myself no longer alone and would do anything to protect her. I found purpose and a life worth living for."

I smiled as I looked up at the moon and I could hear Renji's laughter. I thought about all of our silly fights and realized I could never trade anything in the world for it. I remembered every trace of Renji's skin, his scent, his voice. I couldn't live alone. And I wonder would I ever give my life to him? Sacrifice it all? For him? Yes, I would.

_I would for you, Renji._

_No matter what end._

"But why did Soul Society label you as a war criminal?" I heard Captain Ukitake's voice. I turned and saw him with Shunsui by his side but Byakuya appeared shortly after them.

"Ukitake Juushirou. I remember you. You and Shunsui graduated as captains by Yamamoto himself before he became a captain in the Gotei 13," Jinpachi said.

"Funny because none of us remember you," Byakuya says, questioning him.

"You wouldn't remember us," Izayoi replied. "Yamamoto founded the Shinigami Academy at our urging because we lacked proper education. We didn't graduate regularly but we did graduate in a similar academy that took on the name of its predecessor. Back then, Yamamoto was a subordinate to Kazujin before he found himself under Jinpachi's leadership. Back then, the Juushirou family was rather large but was divided into two branches: the branch you all know today and the elites that survived in this facility."

"Ukitake and Shunsui made history by being the only two to graduate as _captain_ ranked Shinigami while I made history by being the only one to graduate as a _vice-captain_, which is an equivalent to today's lieutenant," Jinpachi finished.

"How did the rank structure go by back then?" Shunsui asked.

"Similar to the Gotei's with minor alterations. Not much has changed, though we didn't have unseated officers like you did. We had non-commissioned officers and in order for them to be commissioned, they needed to earn a degree in one of the official schools here to prove they can efficiently perform their tasks. The seated officers ranked from vice-captain to captain, though under us would be several warrant officers, the lowest would be a junior warrant officer. The NCOs had no official name but designations that ranked higher positions with lower numbers coinciding with their unit, such as 001-7 being the senior NCO in my division. It's the opposite for officers, mine being 020-7. The Captain-Commander had no designation since the rank was unique, but everyone called their captains _commander_ in term of respect and if the actual Captain-Commander was not present," Jinpachi answered.

"Jinpachi was the last to serve as the Death Squad 7's CO and the first CO for the Gotei 13 before leaving the position. Several candidates were considered back then, including Unohana, Hiruyaga, Mekujin, Rokujin, Kazujin, Sakura, Ichibei, myself and when Hitsugaya grew up, they urged him to join with plans of him being the next Captain-Commander. Yamamoto eventually took the title since Ichibei left and all of us declined the offer. My obligation was to our kids but Kazujin and Sakura raised Asuka," Izayoi added.

"What about the Kuchiki household? How did you maintain ties with them?" Byakuya asked.

"Ginrei was a friend of mine. He is the last member to even hold close personal ties with our clan and the Kuchiki family is closely related to ours if you haven't noticed, Byakuya-_chan_," Jinpachi told him almost in a scolding manner.

"I apologize if I sounded rudely," Byakuya responded, bowing his head slightly.

"Nonsense! We're all friends here!" Shunsui laughed, grabbing on to Byakuya and Ukitake's shoulders.

"Come, enjoy the view while you're here," Izayoi invited and all three officers hesitantly sat near us.

"To answer your question, Ukitake," Jinpachi said with a sigh. "If someone you loved was under a great threat, would you do anything to protect them? The Gotei would have never understood that so I left them to pursue my own goals and I had no choice but to risk open war without directly involving anyone. The plan backfired when Izayoi gave birth faster than I expected. I had every intention to end all atrocities and turn myself in when the children were born. I could not risk a public outcry if Soul Society learned of the Ghost King so I had to do everything to contain that fact. Doing so required me to eliminate all witnesses that would spread word and I can't protect everything at once. Everyone has their limits."

"It makes sense now!" Ukitake smiled joyfully.

"I fail to understand why you did not decide to operate covertly," Byakuya commented.

"Risking the bulk of Soul Society's military power is a bad gamble. You of all people should know that, Byakuya-chan, for you are a master tactician yourself," Izayoi declared. Byakuya looked away because she was right.

"So you took the blame knowing the consequences but you ended up being the main villain?" Shunsui asked.

"Correct. Not everything goes according to plan and the next best thing for us to do was have Ginrei erase most of our records because it preserved peace. Yamamoto knew of this plan and out of loyalty to Soul Society, he agreed to rewrite history in his own words. We entrusted the care of our world in his hands and he has not failed us. His death is a regretful one but we cannot let it dishearten us," Jinpachi told him.

"But he's with you now, yes?" I asked.

"In a sense. They are not alive and not at full power yet. Right now, my main concern is bringing Hitsugaya out of the Star King's realm because beyond that is a far deeper level of training he is not prepared for. If I'm not mistaken, Shiva would lead him to the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird he can only receive from Adonai," Jinpachi lectured.

"Adonai?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Jinpachi closed his eyes and when he opened it, I saw his mood change.

He told us of Adonai and the Prima Materia formed by the cosmic egg, and how the world came to be, creating many gods and goddesses, one of which was the Ghost King. In his jealousy, the Ghost King rebelled with his angels but Adonai entered a deep slumber to retaliate properly so the loyal pantheon fought for her instead. The Ghost King needed the Prima Materia to achieve his ultimate form but in order to do so, he had to steal the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird which lay in the breast of Adonai. A power you can only seek through love and acceptance. Jinpachi's hand glowed and he showed us an orb, declaring it as his piece of the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird when he first met her. Adonai gave him this power when his resolve came forth: his resolve to destroy the Ghost King for Izayoi before their children were conceived. With that, the Zenumuron was completely unlocked and his new power helped him forge the weapons Hitsugaya and Asuka wield today. The weapons alone spill mass destruction but combining all three fragments with the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird can unlock the Prima Materia, and ascend the wielder to their primal form, and their godhood. The Prima Materia was necessary to obliterate the Ghost King but it can send its user to a state of madness, one where Jinpachi himself is not too confident to control but he can use it to self-destruct himself. He turned to me as he finished his tale.

"This is where you come into play, Inoue," Jinpachi said with a heavy heart.

"Me?! What do you mean?!" I gasped in shock.

"Your powers are unique. Instead of healing, you reverse time. That is why Aizen took interest in you and so have we. If you can use the power of the Prima Materia to restore the flow of time, we can rid the world of all destructive forces and bring you back to a world you all remember," Izayoi informed.

"You would restart everything," Shunsui concluded.

"Yes..." Jinpachi held up his clawed hand, his eyes glowing red as a demonic aura engulfed his form.

"I don't understand... why?" Ukitake asked.

"Because Aizen disturbed it when he stole the Hougyoku. Doing so unleashed a small fraction of aether and as a consequence, awakened many ancient evils that was brought to our attention. Urahara tried reanimating old powers to harness it for the good of Soul Society while Aizen had ulterior motives. Using both with Orihime's powers could resurrect enough spiritual sources to activate the Prima Materia and Shiva was concerned since destruction was her jurisdiction. Because Aizen achieved immortality... he is a key asset for this war so I'm assuming Asuka went to interrogate him. If it comes down to it, we may need to go back to a further time period before this started and remove Aizen from the reigns of history," Jinpachi said. I felt my heart drop.

"What do you mean, Jinpachi-sama? What are you saying?" I dreaded the answer to this.

"You don't need honorifics for us, my dear child," Izayoi said sweetly.

"What I'm saying is your memories will be erased and you will begin time right when you first met Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai."

_No..._

_Renji..._

_Hueco Mundo_

I traveled to the depths of Hueco Mundo with Setsuka and Asuna. We were sent as ambassadors to find the remaining Espada and recruit them. I decided to wear a white jacket with a black tube top inside it along with a white skirt and black boots, figuring it would be the proper attire for Hueco Mundo. Jinpachi was aware of their exposure to the Hougyoku and realizes their war potential, noting many similarities to the Soul Reaper weapons with their Resurreccion. Nel Tu joined us with her friends as we rode on Bawabawa. Strangely, she was not in her child form but she was against being called her full name. We decided to find Harribel since she ruled this domain and she was hurt to know Ichigo was removed from the hurt, guessing he had been gravely injured. I sighed as she went on a rant, completely unconcerned for Renji's well-being.

"Oh, no! Ichigo is hurt! I should be by his side! I know! Maybe I should punch his balls!" Nel squealed.

_Yep. She's a masochist._

"Huh?" Setsuka raised her eyebrow. "And how the hell is that going to help?"

"Don't question it..." I sighed again.

"Maybe I should shove something in his rectum... Pesche!" Nel waved at him.

"No way! I'm not going in there!" Pesche waved his arms frantically.

"Look!" Dondochakka pointed to a figure in the desert.

"Is that..." I began to focus my vision at him when I realized who it was.

"Grimmjow!" Nel shouted.

There he was, his body cloaked as he wandered aimlessly. We reached Grimmjow but he seemed undisturbed and he was walking in a trance-like state. Nel hopped off and tackled him, snapping Grimmjow out of his funk. She held on to him tightly as I heard bones breaking, Grimmjow screaming and clawing to get away from her. I laughed but when I stopped, I noticed Harribel coming our way with not just her Fraccion but a familiar group. The one we encountered in the Valley of Screams.

"Get off me, you whore!" Grimmjow screamed.

"You don't... like me?" Nel's lips began trembling before she started to cry uncontrollably.

"Fuck no! I hate you! And you! What the hell are you doing here?" Grimmjow pointed at me.

"We came here for a proposition," Setsuka chimed in.

"Eh? Who the fuck are you?" Grimmjow demanded.

"Why is he so grouchy?" Asuna asked as she hid behind me.

"I am Hiruyaga Setsuka Hiryu," Setsuka introduced herself.

"And I'm Asuna Sakura Hiryu Uchiha! Well, I'm not legally an Uchiha but I'm in their family tree!" Asuna jumped up, smiling.

"Uh..." Grimmjow tilted his head, scratching his ear. I noticed he was in his Resurreccion form and was astonished he managed to maintain it.

"The Hiryu clan. It's been a long time since we've been graced by your presence," Ganryuu said.

"Who are you?" Grimmjow asked. "Ah, shit..."

"Grimmjow, why do you run away from us? Bow to Her Majesty!" Franceska Mila Rose ordered.

"Like hell I will!" Grimmjow snarled.

"We are the Dark Ones, the Fallen House Ryoudoji," Benin answered.

"I don't remember them," Setsuka pondered.

"I once trained under Jinpachi before our fall. And we were brought back by a malevolent force but when I felt his reiatsu, I knew he needed us again," Genryuu answered.

"Wait? I thought you were enemies?" I asked.

"Not right now," I heard a familiar voice call out. I looked up and saw Senna falling from the skies with Mue from the Dark Ones.

_What the hell is going on?_

"We were resurrected for some reason and we heard a voice calling out to us," Senna answered.

"We are here to serve the Star King once more," Ganryuu declared, smiling devilishly as his Dark Ones joined his side. Senna stood next to Harribel while her Fraccion butt heads with Grimmjow.

"One of your Shinigami visited us here with that Kuchiki girl. He had red hair and we initially thought he was an Arrancar but he stunk of Shinigami," Harribel told us.

_Ashido Kanou..._

"Wait, where are they?" I inquired.

"They went to investigate something. They came here with an offering from a Jinpachi Zarubari. I don't know if that means anything to you," Harribel said.

"Come on, Grimmjow! Admit it!" Mila Rose shrieked as the Fraccion held him down.

"Fuck off!" Grimmjow yelled.

"Grimmjow doesn't like me!" Nel continued to cry.

"Annoying pests!" Riyan whined, sitting on a rock.

"Wait... if you're here... then that means..." I began but Harribel answered it for me.

"The Espada have been brought back as well," Harribel finished.

_Las Noches_

We made Las Noches our headquarters while we expanded our search time. The Dark Ones separated to find the Espada while I went with Asuna, Nel and her friends. Harribel with Setsuka while Grimmjow went alone while her Fraccion went to look for Grimmjow's subordinates. We went to the Negal Ruins because I remember setting up base there during the Quincy Blood War. Strangely, we didn't find any of the Quincy foes but Ishida concluded they must have been completely decimated with Jinpachi's arrival, so he decided to work with the Gotei 13 locating any remaining Quincy though he and his father were the last ones alive. Isshin cooperated with Urahara in Karakura while the Karakura Special Forces regulated their operations in our town. I still haven't went to college yet but I had other things to take care of.

"Nothing..." Asuna said sadly, picking up a few rocks and throwing them aside, hitting Pesche.

"Watch it!" Pesche complained but Asuna ignored him.

"What about the Forest of Menos?" I suggested.

"The Forest of... Menos? Scary!" Nel bit her nails.

"Oh! That sounds exciting! Let's go!" Asuna jumped on Bawabawa and we chased after them.

_Forest of Menos_

"What was that?" I heard an explosion within the forest.

"We shouln't go in there! There could be monsters!" Nel grabbed on my arm as I tried walking towards it.

"Oh, come on! We're already inside!" Asuna narrowed her eyes at the former Espada.

"But we don't have to keep going further!" Nel was already sweating and I sighed.

"Look out!" I heard Ashido call out before crashing into Pesche and Dondochakka.

"Inoue!" Rukia called for me.

"Rukia-san! Are you okay?" I ran to her as I noticed her arm dripping with blood.

"Get out of here... there are no Menos..." Rukia collapsed in my arms.

"What? What's in there?" I looked at my hand as I saw my clothing stained with her blood but she passed out before she could answer my question.

"Orihime..." Asuna stammered as we got surrounded by giants.

"These fuckers came out of nowhere..." Ashido groaned, propping his zanpakutou as support as he kneels next to us. Nel got his level as she tried helping him up.

"What..." I saw a swarm of insects accompanying these giants.

"Look out, Orihime!" Asuna dove in front of me as one of the giants sent an uppercut at us but Asuna took the blunt of the force.

"Asuna!" I screamed for her, holding out her hand as she plummet far away from us.

"Shit!" Ashido got up and ran towards the group in our defense but got smacked aside.

"Ashido!" I saw him crash in the opposite direction, rocks crumbling on his unconscious body.

I placed Rukia down as I ran to him but I felt one of the insects sting my thighs, piercing through it but I was thankfully saved from the toxins of its venomous stinger. I cried in pain and I heard Nel yell for me before her and her friends engaged them in combat. I got up, limping but a smaller fiend attacked me, sending a fist to my arm that sent my soaring through the area before I began rolling on the ground. I hit a sequoia and when I got up, I heard one of them approach me. I leaned against the tree, blood dripping down my skirt. I grimaced, holding my injured arm as I tried to limp away from them. Nel managed to avert their attention, giving me enough time to get to Ashido but I had trouble healing him. I heard a blast of reiatsu hitting several giants followed by Ichigo's voice. I looked up and saw a ray of light as a portal opened, with him descending into the battlefield. I smiled, giving me enough time to gather myself as I dragged Ashido near Rukia. When I did, I heard a familiar roar and when I looked up, I saw Zabimaru. I stood up in awe as my heart began to race. When the fight ended, Ichigo was running to Nel who had gotten badly hurt from the battle. I turned to the ray of light and there I saw him.

"Renji!" I felt tears forming as I saw him. I held my injured arm as I stood frozen when he approached.

"I'm back," Renji says, his appearance completely different from the way I remembered him yet I remembered his face perfectly.

I started running to him with tears flowing down my cheeks but before the light disappeared, I saw another person stepping out from it. I felt myself stop as my eyes got wide, an old fear surging through my body. I recognized this man. He stood next to Renji, smiling as he inhales the fresh scent of freedom once again. He was wearing the same uniform the last time I saw him albeit slightly tattered. I felt terror rising through my skin once more. The bane of my existence.

"Aizen..."

"It's good to see you... Orihime," Aizen said to me.

_Las Noches_  
  
I was so happy that Renji came back to me that I couldn't stop crying until we got back to Las Noches. The Espada had regrouped with the Dark Ones with Aizen resuming leadership along with Tousen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin. Nel and Asuna took advantage of the time to explore the palace while Renji and I snuck off to a secluded area. Ashido and Rukia were placed in the infirmary under the supervision of Dondochakka and Pesche along with some of the more neutral Arrancar. Ichigo joined their meeting which Setsuka coordinated. Aizen was released by Jinpachi while Ichigo and Renji were sent back by Kazujin. They have a message meant for Jinpachi regarding Asuka so I didn't bother requesting for information about the issue. We made our destination and I realized we were still holding hands. Renji and I spoke about the matter but didn't ask questions. It was as if we accepted our fate silently and I felt myself crying. Renji picked up my chin and I just let myself burst into tears, burying my head into Renji's neck as he held me tightly. For a while, we didn't say anything until I calmed down. I realized there was a bed of sand so we laid there, playing with each other's hands as we stared into the sky of Hueco Mundo. I felt nausea hit me so I turned, laying my head on Renji's chest, breathing peacefully as his heart began beating to my ears.

"I don't want us to end, Renji..."

"I know. Neither do I..."

"Renji?" I looked up to him.

"Yes, baby?"

"Can you make love to me like you used to?"

He smiled, kissing my lips. He said to me, "Anything for you... **princess**..."

I wrapped my arms around him as I positioned myself on top, and I felt him removing my underwear. We began kissing furiously and when we took a breather, I noticed he had a new Shinigami uniform on that looked more majestic than the Gotei's current variant though I saw the Hiryu family crest on his obi. He wore a type of headband that had symbols all over but I couldn't make it out since it was in another language. His outfit was altered, and his hakama was ragged but I think it was part of the design. He no longer had sleeves and there were small flame patterns on the edges of both the sleeves and the bottom of his pants. I felt my hands enter his yukata, admiring his new muscles, feeling his much harder exterior as I kissed his chest before ravishingly removing his top, exposing his abdomen that I couldn't help but lick him all over. There were more battle scars and his tattoos increased but I couldn't help in admiring his muscle definition. I felt his biceps as I licked from below his naval to the midsection of his abdomen, looking at him stare at me longingly. I felt his hand squeeze my breasts, causing me to moan. I lowered his pants as I rubbed his hard erection, kissing it from underneath what I guessed to be his mowashi. I pulled it down slowly before I began kissing the tip. When I looked at Renji, I noticed him staring intensely before I put all of him inside my mouth. I felt his member throbbing inside as I went deeper down my throat when I felt my gag reflex kicking in. I pulled out, jerking him as I recovered. I heard him pant so I went down again, bobbing up and down as I sucked on his manhood, feeling his pre-cum spraying in small dosages on my tongue. I got up, removing my panties as I mounted him, letting the head of his penis rub my clit, causing me to get wet. I slowly inserted himself and I gasped sharply. I missed this feeling _a lot_.

"I missed you..." I said in between breaths.

"Good," he said back to me.

"Wise ass." I smiled, kissing him.

I felt him thrusting into me with wild precision, hitting my spot as his hardness rubbed my vaginal walls. I felt it stimulating my organs, causing me to go into shock. I had been lacking intimacy for a while so I felt a splurging wave of orgasm fluctuating through my body consecutively. By the third orgasm, I arched back, gasping as he continued to force himself inside me. I bent down to face him, moaning harder and as I panted louder as each second ticks by. I yearned for more but I felt myself getting weak, his thighs smacking my buttocks. I felt ooze coming out from my vagina, but they weren't from his semen. I felt like I was going to pass out when I heard him about to explode so I rocked my hips back and forth, grinding his erection against the walls of my insides. I closed my eyes subconsciously, goosebumps beginning to rise, sweat dripping from my forehead and down to my breasts, Renji's sweat mixing with mine. I hugged him, my lips touching his neck as he grabbed on each cheek, groping it. Then a wave of liquid unleashed inside me but he turned me around, inserting himself inside me again and I felt my arousal reigniting. He thrust into me as I planted one hand on the bed of sand and the other on a small wall conveniently placed there that was torn down from the battle between our group and the Espada. He thrust hard into me and I could hear the sound of our flesh colliding. He was gripping my ass harder before he leaned forwards, kissing my neck while one hand squeezed my breasts with the other bracing on the ground. He took one more thrust before he came inside again yet he was still hard. I was re-positioned to where I laid on my back and he on top, going inside me slowly. I chuckled, smiling at him as he began planting kisses on me. We were now making love. His tongue invaded my mouth as I played with it using my own before we began to slowly kiss each other, moving our heads in synchronized movements. He increased his momentum and after what seemed like an eternity, he thrust so hard that I felt another wave of orgasm coming and they came in rapid succession. I didn't bother holding it in anymore so I screamed loud enough to interrupt the meeting inside the palace. I felt his beastly urges take me and after his final moments of harder thrusts, I felt him shoot inside again. I gasped, my own orgasm following suit as a shockwave tingled my vagina. I shivered as I felt my insides pulsate before the calm took over. Renji got off me and we dressed ourselves lazily. I didn't bother putting my jacket nor my boots on and I let his sperm flow out from my thighs. I laid on his chest, panting as he kissed my forehead. I smiled after I finally relieved all the stress out of my system.

"This is going to suck when time restarts itself..." Renji said in between pants.

"Yeah, it's always sex for you," I teased.

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing!" Renji jokingly whined.

"I was kidding, Pineapple Head!" I playfully slapped him.

For a while we laid in silence, feeling the cool breeze endow us with comfort.

"I hope nothing changes between us..." I said all of sudden.

"Yeah..."

"Renji?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I... I... well, I just wanted to say that I..." I got up, using my arms to prop myself as I sat in a demure position.

"Say what?" Renji asked, using his elbows to adjust himself.

"I... I lo-..."

"When you guys are done, Aizen wants you to attend the meeting," Sung-Sun interrupted, startling us both.

"OH, MY GOD!" I yelped, covering my face.

"What did you see?!" Renji demanded.

"Nothing," came her reply. I blew out a sigh of relief as she started to walk away.

"But we all heard everyting," she said, causing us to stare at her leave the vicinity.

_Oh, horse shit..._

_An hour later..._

Renji and I cleaned up ourselves to remove the aroma of sex before we entered the meeting. When we got to the briefing room, the meeting had been in progress and we saw Ichigo leaning against a wall. Nobody paid close attention to us as Setsuka spoke. Next to her were Ganryuu, Aizen, Gin, Tousen and Senna. Asuna bounced over to us as I let Renji wrap his arms around me. Setsuka informed the group of the situation, citing their connections to the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird. Setsuka warned Aizen does not have the power or conviction to control the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird, therefore warning Aizen that even obtaining the aether would consume him. Aizen smiled, probably due to his punishment, showing no care or interest in the aether but rather the destruction brought upon us, revealing a nihilistic nature within him. Setsuka stated Aizen's manipulation of the Hougyoku would come in handy since he had further advancement with the object. Kusaka Soujirou had been communicating with Senna, notifying them of many of our old enemies turning into allies while some remained vagabonds, trying to mind their own business. Soujirou had been dispatched to take care of the Hollow situation near the 1st District at the Rukongai since he does have a Bankai and the same level of Captain Hitsugaya. Senna further added that the Espada may the only protective force needed to bring me near the Prima Materia without the negative repercussions inflicted on normal Shinigami. Setsuka confirmed that our group of friends will meet with Jinpachi as soon as possible before Asuka takes matters into her own hands to fight the Ghost King. For the Dark Ones, Jinpachi placed his faith that they would be able to sustain the portal to the Ghost King's realm because they were trained exceptionally in the spiritual arts. Gin deduced the bulk of the Gotei would lead the front lines with the Lost City's warriors while a smaller theater of fighters will remain in Soul Society.

"Yes. All captains including Captain-Commander Kyouraku will enter the battlefield with their executive officers to handle the _infantry_ line of the Ghost King's army. Half of the Lost City's forces will remain to guard Soul Society while the current team acting as the Karakura Special Forces will branch out in the human world. Ichigo's group will go through the realm leading directly to the Infernal Kingdom with Lieutenants Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia. The Espada will accompany them and the other half of the Lost City's army will engage against the Ghost King's minions. Aizen, you will follow their group to locate the Prima Materia because in order to enter that world, you need to enter a world known only as the **Void** and only the Espada can safely defend Orihime," Setsuka addressed everyone.

"And where would you like us to?" Tousen inquired.

"I'm getting to that. Jinpachi will try to stall time and the reason why you and Ichimaru Gin will accompany Aizen is because Asuka may be present. Whatever happen, you need to keep Asuka away from the fight. As far as I'm concerned, Jinpachi's group consisting of his family will fend off the Ghost King but he will stray from the fight to get to the Prima Materia. The battle plan was to have the combined forces of the _his_ Gotei keep the pressure on Izanami so he can get to Asuka. With the Prima Materia, the weapons of Hitsugaya and Asuka, he can create another holy spear, the Heavenly Jeweled Spear. This will re-open Yomi and if all goes according to plan, our forces will be able to restrain the Ghost King to this domain. The final plan of action is to have Jinpachi execute his most powerful skill, the legendary Fireworks. Combining the Prima Materia and the Heavenly Jeweled Spear, he can seal them to Yomi and destroy any entrance leading to it. When all is said and done, Orihime will use her powers along with the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird to restore everything to the way it was before another Big Bang ensues. This is why we needed her and all of us. Each of us play a significant role," Setsuka finished.

I understood now. We had to reverse time in order to save the universe. To forge another Heavenly Jeweled Spear, to use the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird, to restructure the Prima Materia... all of it was to save the world. I felt anxious because I knew then that everything was going to end. I was going to lose Renji. Jinpachi had no malicious intent: he wanted to save the world so his children, his wife, the people he cared about... could live...

_That is true love._

And I found my resolve. As they began to discuss the plans, I interlaced my fingers with Renji's, intertwining them tightly because our time together was slowly draining.

"At any cost... we need to make sure nobody turns blind and attempt to reshape the world in their visage. Doing so will destroy the world and, Aizen, Jinpachi _is _watching you. None of us will hesitate to destroy you so I strongly advise you behave," Setsuka warned.

"Why, silly girl! You think I would trade a moment of killing the most feared being in the world for a petty thought? I think I may have found a new hobby!" Aizen mocked.

"Whatever the case, Captain Aizen," Hiruyaga's voice entered. "I would take my daughter's words into consideration. Remember, even with the Hougyoku you are still powerless to us."

"So what the fuck? We guard those guys? That's it?" Grimmjow whined, earning him many comments from his fellow Espada.

"You will get the chance to kill many oppositions as you wish. We want none of them alive," Hiruyaga answered.

"Now **that's **more like it! I'm in!" Grimmjow stood up, smashing his fist on the table.

"Protect Orihime. Leave the rest to us. Understood?" Hiruyaga asked as everyone roared in agreement, many of them hollering with anticipation.

_So this is one of the reasons they chose the Espada!_

"Now... PREPARE FOR WAR!" Hiruyaga cried, raising her weapon in the air which many of them repeated.

_This is it. The **big finale**._

_To be continued..._

**_Next Chapter: Dark Horse, Renji._**

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_"TAKE THEM DOWN!" Kazujin shouted his warcry, charging towards the Ghost King's fortress in fury with the bulk of his forces which included Sakura and a pantheon of archaic gods and goddesses._

_"SHIVA!" Renji shouted, watching the Destroyer wreck the building with her might._

_Izanami glared as a warrior dressed in royal robes and a naginata descended, swinging his weapon at her but missing completely. Izanami dodged but growled at the sight of his face._

_"Izanagi..." she spat. Izanagi grinned as Jinpachi crashed next to him, withdrawing his Death Force as he glared at the Emperor of the Infernal Kingdom._

_"Jinpachi!" the Ghost King shouted, his voice echoing in the Void._

_"Been a hot minute, you old fart! Let's send you to where you belong! O-Bankai!"_

_Jinpachi took flight, soaring above the Ghost King a thousand feet up as he spread his arms and legs before positioning himself to where he aimed his Death Force at the Ghost King. The skies were engulfed with his flames as a massive dragon emerged from his form, roaring as it flew towards the Ghost King. Sparks of electricity surged from its wings whereupon missiles made of heavenly fire shot out from its body towards the enemy. And then explosions were made, the objects bright in various colors that I couldn't help but stare in awe. I recognized the attack._

_"Renji..." Orihime said to me, holding my hand._

_"We should get moving!" Grimmjow said to Ichigo._

_"Right! Renji!" Ichigo called to us._

_"Hell's Retribution, Excel With My Wrath! The Final Scene of the Armageddon... FIREWORKS!" Jinpachi shouted._

_And there I saw the most beautiful display of fireworks ever bestowed upon me in my_ _life..._

**AN: **I wanted to settle confusion here. I am aware Hitsugaya is the surname of Hitsugaya Toushirou (one of my oldest buddies knew his character inside and out), and if anyone has an issues with _my_ Hitsugaya character, the character has been made long ago, and this was before I found out what the name actually was. However, some names have been last names when they were first names, like Michael- and I knew a person whose name was literally Michael Michael. So for several of the name confusions, just try to be patient with it.

As for everything else; yes, I'm aware Jinpachi is overpowered, I intended for him to be that way. Suck it up.


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter Twelve: Dark Horse, Renji_

Orihime and I went to the Hidden Temple to prepare for what we hoped to be the final battle. I grabbed my yukata as I saw Orihime tying her the laces on her boots. The Hiryu family gave her a special outfit to withstand the Dark Matter that engulfed the world we're going to. The plan was to have the Gotei enter the fight against the Ghost King's primary line unit with the Captain-Commander leading the front with majority of his captains. Captain Hitsugaya's friend was to remain in Soul Society leading a defensive unit because he did that have a Bankai at the same strength as Hitsugaya did. A group of Shinigami was sent to defend Karakura because it is considered a haven for the humans. While they fought, our group was going to travel with Jinpachi who intends to fight the Ghost King head on with his forces while we continued to the heart of the Infernal Fortress within the Infernal Kingdom. Jinpachi predicted Izanami interferring so he had Aizen and his army accompany us to lead her astray while we pressed onward. During the middle of the fight, the Lost City's might will enter the battlefield to overwhelm the Infernal Army to throw them off balance, giving us time we needed to find the room containing the Heart of the Fallen where we will use to open Yomi with the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird with Aizen's Hougyoku; Jinpachi guessed Asuka will be the one to initiate the fist entry into the Void where we will follow her. The Espada were given the task to protect Orihime as we got closer to where the Ghost King truly lie in wait because Jinpachi was aware he fought an avatar when he was last there. He deduced Asuka might endanger the matters of the universe so he made sure that Aizen's forces kept her away from reaching the Ghost King. Hitsugaya Juushirou will eventually meet up with us and Jinpachi will use their weapons along with his and Izayoi's to create a new Heavenly Jeweled Spear to use against the Ghost King, and with the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird, he will create the Prima Materia to send him to his demise, and with Orihime, she will seal the evil energy within Yomi and eventually restore time with his power. This will result in taking us back to when I first met Ichigo. The rest of the battle plans were being discussed with the High Council so we decided to use this time to ourselves.

I looked at Orihime buttoning up her blouse and when she saw me, she smiled. I returned her smile with one of my own as I put on my uniform. I grabbed Zabimaru as we made our way outside, holding one another's hands in silence. When we found our group, I saw Grimmjow and Ichigo butting heads as Aizen discussed plans with Mekujin. Rukia, Nel, Ichimaru and Starrk where together in a conversation when Ichigo stormed off to sit next to Chad and Uryuu. We had to change tactics at the last minute by having our human friends accompany us. I walked over to Ichigo as Orihime went to our friends. As she spoke, she turned back to me, smiling weakly. This was it. The last crusade.

_Flashback_

"Asuka managed to enter the Infernal Kingdom ahead of schedule," Ganryuu informed.

"So we need to speed up our agenda, then!" Kirinji exclaimed.

"Not so fast, Kirinji. We cannot go unprepared," Captain Yamamoto told him.

"Last I checked, my leader was Commander Zarubari, not you," Kirinji said.

"Enough! Both of you!" Hiruyaga ordered, preventing them from fighting during the meeting.

"What do we do, Ken-chan?" Izayoi whispered to her lover.

"We get moving. Now. I sent our Hitsugaya to make sure Kazujin was aware of our actions in case we needed a fall back plan," Jinpachi said.

"So we have a change of plans," Aizen concluded.

"For now. We're going to launch the Gotei as the first wave, with the Lost City's warriors coming in as the tertiary forces. We'll be the second wave. My group will work with the Karakura Special Forces until we run into Izanami. We are bound to meet that hag. From there, the Espada will continue onward with the Karakura team and if necessary, I will need Captains Kenpachi, Kuchiki, Hitsugaya and Kurotsuchi make their way to the Karakura Special Forces. I'll make my way to them with another section consisting of myself, Izayoi, my son, Rokujin, Mekujin, Asuna, Setsuka and Captain-Commander Kyouraku. For now, let's use instinct," Jinpachi addressed.

"Now that's more like it!" Captain Unohana grinned.

"As long as the fights are good, we're in!" Captain Zaraki added.

"All right. Let's go," Jinpachi declared.

"Yes, sir!" the group responded.

_Flashback ends_

"Commander Jinpachi is summoning all of us," Senna informed.

"Ah, the battle has begun," Nnoitra says, smiling at the fact.

"Let's get moving, eh, Captain Aizen?" Gin smirked.

We met everyone outside of the Hidden Temple where Jinpachi and his army awaited us. We went to our respective groups as we began walking towards Ganryuu's group. There, they opened a portal and I heard a loud howling sound with endless screams from the vacuum of chaos. Jinpachi walked up to Ganryuu, shaking the man's hand while they engaged in small talk. Izayoi joined them, sharing a small laugh while the rest of the family followed suit. For a while, that's what they did before Jinpachi turned to us.

"Family, friends... enemies alike. I'm not famous for big speeches," Jinpachi started.

"We know!" Unohana interrupted.

"Shut the fuck up!" Jinpachi yelled back.

"Just like how we remember him," Shutara said, sighing.

"Anyway! Like I was saying, I'm not good with big speeches. A lot of you will die. I cannot ask more from you other than your bravery so if you choose to leave, do so now!" Jinpachi ordered. Nobody moved but Kusaka stepped up.

"I don't feel right staying here," Kusaka stated.

"We need you to protect Soul Society with your group, Soujirou. Please, let us place our faith in you," Izayoi assured, silencing him as Captain Hitsugaya placed a hand on his shoulder.

"So no one left..." Jinpachi whispered. He lowered his head but brought it back up, revealing a smile similar to Unohana and Zaraki when they were about to go for the killing move. "The last time we had a united force this big was when the Orochi first appeared. I couldn't ask for anything else from all of you. This fight will not be down in history but we don't need it! All you have is your skin and your hopes but God damn it, that's all you need! What are you fighting for, troops? Who do you fight for? Today will define your character and if this be the day you die, then die for something worth fighting for! I cannot carry your legacy but we will carry the legacy left to us by our predecessors! Don't bring shame to their integrity but fight true! Fly true! Give those bastards a taste of hell and show no mercy for you shall receive none! I choose to fight for my family! I choose to die today! I choose to die for you! I ask you... look past your differences! Let us join together for one common foe and let him experience true fear! Let our enemies know that we will not yield to them! Don't go down a coward but go down a warrior! That is the example we will set for the generations ahead of us! We fight for them! I will fight for you, my brothers and sisters! This is your virtue! This is your honor! If this be our fate, so be it! Let destiny ride within our hearts! Let them taste our vigor!"

A thunderous roar was heard in our crowd that I couldn't hear anything else, applause filling Soul Society as Ganryuu confirmed the portal was ready. The portal showed an image of a fiery palace with many monstrous demons soaring through the skies. Jinpachi raised his sword as he pointed it at the Infernal Fortress within the Infernal Kingdom. And there we saw the Infernal Army led by the Orochi. Jinpachi turned to face us once more, raising his Zenumuron with anger on his face. Inside, I saw Asuka already disrupting the Infernal Army and realized now what we had to do. We needed to innovate.

"Fight for honor! Fight for glory! To death! To war!" Jinpachi screamed.

"Fuck yeah!" Ichigo voiced out but it was drowned by the praising of our commander. Several members went in front of us holding banners that contained a symbol: it was the Hiryu crest inside the Gotei's symbol. Outside were several designs representing each of our forces, including the Quincy Cross and a Hollow mask to represent Aizen's command.

_The Order of the Star King._

A task force. An official army. And Jinpachi was our commanding officer leading the battle front.

"FORTH, STAR GLADIATORS!" Jinpachi shouted with vigor as we ran towards the portal.

We all jumped into the portal, entering the realm as the Gotei began rushing towards the incoming Infernal Army. Ahead of us, I saw Captain Kyouraku and Ukitake going toe to toe with the Orochi while several clashes met with the the monstrous demons. I saw Hiruyaga take flight, freezing a good chunk of their army while the Gotei began smashing them to bits. I landed on the domain of the Infernal Kingdom, looking back and saw that Jinpachi's army had not yet taken the battlefield. I began running with our group towards the Infernal Fortress when I heard Izanami's wicked laugh. I looked up and saw her making her way from the skies towards us. Before she got any closer, Captain Kenpachi met with her, sending his fist to her solar plexus, thereby causing her to land a considerable distance from us before he chased after her, followed by the Zaraki Squad and Captain Muguruma and the Visored. Ishida momentarily led the group, firing a volley of arrows at the enemies before he stayed back for a brief second to let the sky rain with an arrow shower. Grimmjow and Nnoitra were already in the Resurreccion when they took point, hacking and slashing away until I saw Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou pave a bigger path for us. I stuck by Orihime and let everyone take care of the incoming assaults. I heard Keigo going down as we ran, several demons preparing to maul him to death when Chad saved him with Tatsuki. Chizuru was armed with a naginata, swiping everyone coming near us. The vast majority of the Espada surrounded us and I realized our plans were already going awry when I saw Setsuka colliding with the pavement near us. Tousen Kaname came to her aid before gargoyles picked on her flesh.

"Renji!" Ichigo called out to me.

"On it! Zaga Teppou!" I jumped up, taking down a giant with my abilities in a matter of seconds.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" he shouted, obliterating a wave of demons running at us.

We took a really long flight of staircases leading to the Infernal Fortress, and when I looked at the fight, Jinpachi's army entered the battlefield with Rokujin and Mekujin leading the force with their O-Bankai. I saw Jinpachi luring a vast majority of them away before encasing them in a dome, and I recognized the attack: it was similar to Captain Kuchik's Senkei but unlike the Senkei, Jinpachi's technique brought them to another world where sight, smell and hearing was nullified though touch and taste were still there, almost identical to Tousen Kaname's Bankai but with fiercer results within the hellish dome. Within seconds, the dome disappeared and Jinpachi rejoined the fight. Asuna jumped up in front of Neliel, using her hands and feet to take care of the enemies trying to overwhelm her. We got to one of the levels of the fortress and I heard Orihime trip. I carried her on my back as we ran, trusting Ichigo to lead the group while the Espada continued acting as bodyguards, with Aizen and his lieutenants intervening once in a while. When we made it to the top, Izanami was already there with a badly injured Asuka. She tossed her aside and Hitsugaya Juushirou attempted to fight her, but she had no trouble swatting him away.

"You deluded cretins! You cannot comprehend my power here in my world!" Izanami declared. A giant skull appeared behind her, laughing wickedly as blades formed behind it. A dark cloud began to form, lightning bolts striking the ground.

"Eat this!" Yoruichi suddenly appeared, sending a heel to her cranium which stunned Izanami for a second. Kuukaku joined the fight, sweeping Izanami off her feet with a crescent kick before Isshin grabbed the sorceress, throwing her aside.

"Go! Now!" Isshin ordered.

We nodded as Urahara suddenly joined the battle, Tessai Tsukabishi and Ashido grabbing the wounded siblings to Hachigen Ushouda before the Zero Division joined the battle against Izanami. We entered the Infernal Fortress, running up a swirling staircase as loud explosions filled the region. By the time we got to the top, I saw the Orochi being brought down by the might of Shunsui and Ukitake. Jinpachi was nowhere to be seen when a bright ray of red light appeared behind us. We turned, and we saw a giant skull opening its mouth and inside the mouth were two giant doors as large as the Gates of Hell. When it opened, a tall shadow stepped out, a red mist leaving from the depths of the Infernal Fortress. Three dark red orbs formed on the shadow's face before showing itself visible. It was a humanoid; I described it as having a pale face, two large horns pointing outwards as six black wings began to unfold. He was muscular and had several tattoos similar to Jinpachi's on its body. It had talons on its feet and was slightly armored, a tail dragging on the ground that had several rows of spikes from the spine to the tip of the tail. It smiled wickedly at us, revealing fangs as it pointed a scepter at Orihime.

_The Ghost King's avatar._

"Foolish mortals! You think can escape me?" the Ghost King asked, laughter filling the radius. Before we could speak, I saw the group that challenged Izanami get thrown in front of us. We turned, seeing Izanami dragging Isshin with her.

"Pathetic!" Izanami laughed, tossing Isshin at Ichigo's feet. The Espada surrounded us as I noticed Aizen and his subordinates walking up to the Ghost King.

"Dark Horse! Come forth! You dare challenge me and think you can live to tell the tale?" the Ghost King inquired Aizen.

A carriage appeared from the door he stepped out from, four malicious looking horses dragging the vessel. On each horse sat a rider; the white horse had a ghostly warrior with a jeweled staff in his hand, a crown on his head; the red horse had a barbaric demon as fire came out from the horse's nostrils; the black horse had a rider with its flesh molting, maggots and various insects crawling up its skin as flies consumed the horse's decaying flesh in swarms; then the last horse was sickly, pale in comparison and I saw a skeleton shrouded in black riding it. It held a scythe and its eyes glowed purple. The Ghost King floated to let the Dark Horse exit the gates, and this horse was a gargantuan compared to the Four Horsemen. It burned with a blue flame as the Ghost King pointed at us. Aizen smirked, charging at the Four Horsemen while I looked back at Izanami. When I turned to the Ghost King, he stood there on his Dark Horse as Orihime got off, entering a battle stance while the Espada closed the gap in an attempt to protect Orihime efficiently. I heard Izanami cry out in pain and when I looked, she lay on the floor, slowly getting up with smoke rising from her body. I looked up and I felt a smile forming on my face. A familiar group of heroes entered the fight, a bright light shining down at us. And leading that group was Kazujin Hiryu.

"TAKE THEM DOWN!" Kazujin shouted his war cry, charging towards the Ghost King's fortress in fury with the bulk of his forces which included Sakura and a pantheon of archaic gods and goddesses.

"SHIVA!" Renji shouted, watching the Destroyer wreck the building with her might.

Izanami glared as a warrior dressed in royal robes and a naginata descended, swinging his weapon at her but missing completely. Izanami dodged but growled at the sight of his face.

"Izanagi..." she spat. Izanagi grinned as Jinpachi crashed next to him, withdrawing his Death Force as he glared at the Emperor of the Infernal Kingdom.

"Jinpachi!" the Ghost King shouted, his voice echoing in the Void.

"Been a hot minute, you old fart! Let's send you to where you belong! O-Bankai!"

Jinpachi took flight, soaring above the Ghost King a thousand feet up as he spread his arms and legs before positioning himself to where he aimed his Death Force at the Ghost King. The skies were engulfed with his flames as a massive dragon emerged from his form, roaring as it flew towards the Ghost King. Sparks of electricity surged from its wings whereupon missiles made of heavenly fire shot out from its body towards the enemy. And then explosions were made, the objects bright in various colors that I couldn't help but stare in awe. I recognized the attack.

"Renji..." Orihime said to me, holding my hand.

"We should get moving!" Grimmjow said to Ichigo.

"Right! Renji!" Ichigo called to us.

"Hell's Retribution, Excel With My Wrath! The Final Scene of the Armageddon... FIREWORKS!" Jinpachi shouted.

And there I saw the most beautiful display of fireworks ever bestowed upon me in my life...

"You pretentious buffoon!" the Ghost King snarled, flying away from the Dark Horse as Jinpachi's flamedragon destroyed it and most of the giant building the Ghost King came from, leaving the door still standing.

"You're one to talk, child!" one of the gods, declared, hurling a hammer at the Ghost King which sent it flying.

"Looks like he's still a hot-head. Anyone feel like letting Thor take the credit?" Shiva asked her fellow gods and goddesses.

"Every god has their wrath," a Greek god who I assumed to be Zeus informed. A thunder cloud began to form, his fists surging with electricity as the Ghost King and Thor squared off before Thor was sent plummeting to the ground.

"Jinpachi, I'll handle my wife! You go take care of the Ghost King's avatar!" Izanagi ordered.

"No," Jinpachi glared at Izanagi. "I'm getting my children out of here."

"You are indeed a fool, Jinpachi Hiryu!" Izanami laughed, pointing at Hachi. Hitsugaya was slowly recovering but Asuka was long gone.

"Where's Asuka? Where's my child?" Izayoi demanded softly before her anger erupted. "WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?!"

"Asuka!" Hitsugaya shouted, and when we turned to the doorway, Asuka was already running inside it, disappearing inside the red mist.

"Jinpachi!" Izayoi yelled.

"Asuka!" Jinpachi began to yell and give chase when Asuna and Setsuka stopped him.

"We'll get her!" Setsuka stated, running after her cousin with Asuna closely behind.

"NO!" Hiruyaga shouted. "GET BACK HERE!"

"I'm getting my mommy! She's all I have left!" Asuna replied before disappearing into the mist.

"No!" Jinpachi ran but the doors closed shut, leaving him powerless so he began pounding at it. Hiruyaga ran to the door as Jinpachi walked away, giving it a hard kick but it didn't budge, though the fortress did shake. Izayoi walked to Jinpachi but when she turned to Izanami, she was visibly pissed.

"You poor souls! You know not of the powers in this realm!" Izanami laughed but Izanagi forced her to face him. She tried struggling but she, too, was powerless in his grasp. "Let me go!"

"Why are you doing this, Izanami?" Izanagi asked softly.

"Because you are all weak! You're all pathetic! You deserve to die!" Izanami shouted at her husband.

"Why can't you see this won't resolve anything? You serve _him_ of all people! Snap out of it, my darling!" Izanagi said.

"Snap out of it? You left me in Yomi! Why are you surprised? Did you think I would fawn over you coming back to see me? The Ghost King was there! _He_ saved me! Not you!" Izanami spat, pushing her lover away as she fell to the ground.

"White people problems," Odin says, shaking his head.

"Asian people problems," Shiva corrected.

"Couple's problems," Kazujin corrected them both, causing them to glare at Shiva's herald. "What?"

"You expect me to just fall in love with you again after you deserted me? You think I still love you?" Izanami yelled, but I could hear she was having a hard time from crying. "How could you leave me..."

"Because I was vain," Izanagi replied. He knelt down to her level, removing her mask. And when we saw it, I heard Orihime gasping; her flesh was rotting but I could tell Izanami wept, no longer caring. Izanagi placed a comb on her hair, brushing the strands aside as several Shinto deities got closer to them.

"You pompous windbag!" Odin yelled. I turned to see the pantheons fighting the Ghost King's avatar who held them in a hold with a tornado.

"Just go away, you bastard!" Izanami slapped Izanagi multiple times until he held her in an embrace. "Leave me be... just like you did eons ago..."

"Not this time..." Izanagi whispered, caressing her hair.

"Well, isn't this mushy..." Grimmjow whined.

"Izanami..." Orihime said, kneeling next to the couple. "Please help us..."

"Help me get my daughter. Stop being selfish, you stupid bitch!" Jinpachi demanded. Izanagi glared but it didn't frighten the commander.

"I can't! Inside of the Void is the Ghost King's true form. The only way you can do that is with one of them!" Izanami pointed at the pantheon but realized she mad an error. "Wait, no. None of them have the power to enter that realm."

"What are you saying?" Izayoi asked.

"We're a different hierarchy of deities. Which means we're a lower class of gods. We may be part of our own original pantheon but each pantheon had what is called a Creator God. Last time I was here, I was with Shiva and her masters," Izanagi answered.

"What the fuck are you babbling about? Tell us how to get there!" Jinpachi demanded.

Izanagi stood up, helping his wife up. We all approached Izanagi while everyone else continued to battle. I looked on as more demons were produced, and when I looked over to the Ghost King, he was moving his arms in fluid motions, glowing with a dark red as he summoned more of his Infernal Army.

"The Ghost King is an evolution of evil and he was created by many of the fallen gods of the primordial era in the Shadowy Land of the Dead where all evil deities merged into one, including our fallen god, thereby creating what is known as the Ghost King but the main source of his power lay within the original fallen angel from an ancient rebellion during Adonia's time; her most beautiful as well as her first creation was jealous of those that came after it. Adonai had fallen asleep before she could act and so her once proud angel mustered all of the fallen deities to his persuasion, becoming the Deceiver in the end. Aside from Adonai, only one deity had something in common with all of the pantheons," Izanami said, putting her mask on.

"What deity?" Ichigo asked.

"Chaos."

_Stairway to Heaven_

Izanami lectured us about the creation of the world. Before the Big Bang, Adonai lay dormant in the Void. When she awoke, she uttered a painful cry with an explosion that was the Big Bang ensued, therefore creating the universe. From the depths of the Dark World, which was the primordial form of the universe, Chaos erupted and she began to shape it in her visage. On the seventh day, Chaos mated with her when she gave birth to the Prima Materia in a cosmic egg. Through her will, the pantheons of all various deities were born from the Prima Materia, each of them forged with their own unique aether. As Adonai succumbed to her slumber, Chaos finished the rest of the creation but it was incomplete. Because of this, Adonai let her love flow, the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird creating the Secret Garden where she lay hidden, known to everyone as the Garden of Eden. To get there, Izanami told us, we needed to unlock the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird that lay dormant within Kazujin, Jinpachi, Hitsugaya Juushirou, Ichigo and myself. It was granted to five men in case Chaos went rampant and it did. The Heartbeat of the Hummingbird made the Hougyoku look like a piece of shit and the Prima Materia made every pantheon seem powerless.

We burst through the door where Asuka fled to but found it empty. It was the Ghost King's chambers and we saw a giant pool filled with cosmic ooze. Izanami and Izanagi left us to this task to occupy the Ghost King's avatar as he entered the pool. I felt the thick liquid crawling up to us and before we submerged, I saw a giant skull in front of us and a throne. On that throne was a skeleton, which I figured to be where the Ghost King's original remains were kept. When I went under the surface, I noticed that I didn't need to hold my breath. Jinpachi led the group as we swam through an underwater cave, numerous bright lights guiding us. A current forced us to go through a stream and next thing I knew, we were floating carefully through the current. We entered a giant area and looking up, we saw a night sky with bright stars filling up the atmosphere. When we emerged, we were in safari-esque realm. We got out, walking on the sand. I shook off the cosmic liquid, watching it dissolve immediately, my clothing drying up right away. We saw a small shack and a shaman came out from it. I couldn't distinguish its gender but I assumed it to be male. It had an elongated mask on with tribal designs, bringing us inside the shack, introducing himself just as Voodoo. He sat us on the floor. Our group consisted of the Karakura Special Forces, Aizen's Espada army, the remaining Visoreds who didn't reinstate themselves into the Gotei, Urahara's group, the Fullbringers, Ganju, Isshin, Senna, Ashido, Jinpachi, Izayoi, Hitsugaya Juushirou, Hiruyaga, Kazujin, Sakura and Kirio Hikifune who managed to catch up to us. Voodoo started chanting, pouring a purple neon liquid into a giant bowl as evaporating smoke rose from the device. He stirred the contents before filling up champagne flutes, handing them out to us.

"Okay, Raffiki, what's in this?" Tatsuki glared at the object.

"Ah, better yet! What do you want to be in it should be your question!" Voodoo remarked cryptically.

"Inoue's titties!" Chizuru said gleefully before Yumichika smacked her. He and Ikkaku were assigned to us to avoid getting demolished by Zaraki.

"Shut up!" Ikkaku barked.

"What kind of shit is this?" Grimmjow whined, tasting the contents of the drink.

"It's so bitter..." Orihime said, making a face. I found her cute so I smiled.

"It is what it is! Hoo-hoo!" Voodoo said.

"Yeah, because that explains a lot," Hitsugaya chimed in, taking a sip.

"It tastes like shit!" Barragan complained.

"How do you know what shit tastes like?" Ishida inquired slyly.

"What did you say to me?!" Barragan barked.

"This tastes like rotten tomatoes..." Chad decided.

"Really? I like it," Kirio commented. "Honey!"

"Same," Keigo responded.

"Cereal..." Rukia started dabbing her lips together.

"It tastes like shit!" Ishida cried out.

"HAH!" Barragan began laughing.

"Seems that we're all experiencing different things," Aizen guessed.

"What?" I took a sip and it tasted like... Orihime's vagina.

_What the fuck?_

"... I taste my wife's vagina..." Kazujin said suddenly, causing Sakura to spit out her drink.

"What the fuck, old man!" Hiruyaga shot her father a drink as Kazujin inspected the contents.

"... I'm keeping this to myself," Izayoi stated, making a face that spoke of embarrassment.

"You tasted semen?" Orihime inquired without any tact. Izayoi slowly nodded, causing all of us to stare at them. Jinpachi began wiggling his eyebrows at his beloved, causing Hitsugaya to grimace.

"Hoohoo! It is what it is!" Voodoo repeated.

"This tastes like pumpkin..." Senna whispered.

"This is pretty sweet," Jinpachi said.

"You're right!" I announced. I felt an after taste and it was like honey.

"What is this?" Ashido asked.

"Simple!" Voodoo pointed a finger in the air before removing his mask to reveal Kaien.

"Kaien-dono!" Rukia gasped.

"Oh, shit..." Aaroniero began.

"Wait! I just saw you back at Soul Society!" Isshin pointed at Voodoo-Kaien accusingly.

"We can be anywhere in the world, Isshin!" Voodoo-Kain responded.

"Isshin!" a voice interrupted.

"M-m-mom?!" Ichigo stammered while Isshin's face exaggeratedly created blissful tears.

"MASAKI!" Isshin began kissing her feet.

"Wait a minute..." Ishida began to ponder.

"Uryuu," a voice said softly. We turned and there we saw her, Uryuu's mother.

"Mother..." Ishida stood up.

"It's so good to see you again. And you have become so handsome!" Kanae Katagiri said, smiling with her eyes closed at her son.

"What's going on?" I asked no one in particular.

"It is what it is," Voodoo replied.

"So you say what we want it to be..." Chad said before his grandfather, Oscar, sat next to him.

"Exactly!" Voodoo said.

"But why do you have Kaien's face?" Rukia demanded.

"Because that is Kaien, Rukia," another voice answered. We turned and I recognized her as Hisana.

"Orihime!" another voice called to her.

"Huh? Sora!" Orihime got up, hugging her brother.

I got up and realized everyone beginning to reunite with everyone. I looked at my champagne flute and it was empty. Laughter filled the room that I couldn't help but smile. Some of the Espada were given true human forms while others got different things. I realized then that no one appeared before me. I smiled sadly but I didn't get disheartened. Voodoo told us that we drank what we wanted to fill ourselves with. I looked at Orihime and I already knew my answer.

_Her happiness._

"Your glass is half full," Voodoo-Kaien whispered to me. I looked at him smiling at the others, his hands behind the small of his back as he rocked back and forth.

"Huh?"

"Your glass is half full. You have dreams. Goals. Ambition. You saw no one came for you. Not even your childhood friends. Maybe you want them to stay in peace. Maybe you are the selfless one here."

"I don't know about that..." I said, chuckling as I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Renji, I am Kaien but I am also not Kaien. Shiba Kaien is back where he belongs. The world isn't so perfect but you don't stop from trying to make it better. You have small whims. You seek pride in yourself because of those you hold dear. You want happiness but even that averts you. It is an elusive beast."

"Yeah..."

"Yet you don't care. You truly are the poor monkey staring at the moon. And despite its consequences, you jumped for its reflection because even then, death is beautiful knowing you did not give up on your goal. But now you are the Baboon Snake King."

"What?"

"You found it. The truest form of the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird."

Voodoo slammed his staff down, causing a shockwave to emit as the world began to change. A bright light ensnared us before we took to the cosmos. When it stopped, we were in a dark place. A silver mist surrounded the ground and before us was a giant object that towered us where Jinpachi's dragon could not even challenge its height. We approached with Voodoo-Kaien leading our pack. When we stopped, I noticed it was a giant eye with its eyelids closed. On the very top was a statue fixated as if it were sleeping.

"What is that thing?" Ichigo asked.

"This is where you need to be," Masaki answered. The rest of the visitors joined Voodoo-Kaien before being absorbed into his staff.

"Allow me to introduce you to Chaos. The God of Discord!" Voodoo-Kaien declared, slamming his staff into the lower eyelid but it didn't budge.

"What..." Tatsuki slumped.

"That's weird. He usually gets up. Maybe I should poke him some more..." Voodoo-Kaien began harassing its eyelids while several of us felt alarmed.

"Stop that! I don't wanna' die!" Ganju whined but Voodoo-Kaien kept smacking Chaos' eyelid.

"Wake up! Hoi! Come on! You have guests, you grouchy schmuck!" Voodoo-Kaien hollered.

"Please, Voodoo-sama! I don't want to disturb him!" Orihime pleaded.

"We're wasting time!" Kazujin said. He rushed up to Chaos, jumping to meet the statue as he punched its jaw, causing the statue to move and stare at him.

"It's waking up!" Hiruyaga noticed.

"I like this plan!" Izayoi withdraw her weapon, a sky blue aura forming around her. Jinpachi ascended, unleashing his flames.

"Hell's Retribution, Excel With My Wrath! Seven Sin Serenade!" Jinpachi yelled, firing a torrential blast of energy at Chaos, causing it to grumble slowly.

"Go forth, Zodiac Braves!" Sakura issued the order to her summons.

"Prevail With My Cataclysm, My Virtuous Fang! Holy Lance!" Izayoi drew forth a stampede of icy chariots that charged at Chaos before turning into a giant lance wielded by an enormous frost giant of intimidating height. It was as large as Jinpachi's dragon!

"Wake up! Wake! Up!" Voodoo-Kaien smacked a small slit of the barely awake Chaos, causing it to shriek in pain. "Ah! You're awake!"

Chaos' eyes fully opened, witnessing an incoming blast of fiery energy before it got smashed by it, wincing from the assault as the lance pierced Chaos' statue. When we ceased all attacks, majority of us inched back but Voodoo-Kaien stood, smiling at the giant God of Discord as Jinpachi joined him.

"Who dares awaken my slumber!" Chaos demanded. "Answer me or I will feast on your..."

"Feast on your souls, blah, blah, blah! Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all. It was me," Jinpachi answered.

"How dare you, Shinigami!" Chaos roared angrily.

"Morning, Chaos!" Voodoo-Kaien tapped the lower eyelid of the god. "Had a nice nap?"

"Voodoo! You should know better than that, shaman!" Chaos' eye focused on him.

"I know! But Adonai told me to tell you that she told me to tell them to meet you so you can tell them where they should be going to tell the ones you told what you told so they can tell them what they shouldn't be doing!" Voodoo-Kaien placed his fists on his hips.

"Eh?" Ichigo and I slumped, our eyes twitching.

"Adonai? Hah!" Chaos laughed.

"Okay, I'm getting annoyed. Where's my daughter?" Izayoi demanded.

"Ah, Izayoi Juushirou. I have expected you." Chaos chuckled.

"Cut the shit! Where is my child?" Jinpachi demanded.

"There were three girls who ran into Yomi. Do you know how we can get there?" Ishida asked.

"The Shadowy Land of the Dead? I pity you fools for attempting to enter there!" Chaos grumbled.

"Why? What is in there?" Grimmjow asked.

"That is where Adonai was born from where she wandered aimlessly. Where the Ghost King was once trapped before being released by that pathetic Izanami!" Chaos shouted.

"We need to get there!" Sakura cried out, earning some positive responses from our group.

"You need to enter the Void where the Ghost King currently lay. To get to Yomi, you must use the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird which I can grant to all of you if you answer one simple question." Chaos snickered.

"What is it?" Aizen asked.

"What is chaos?" the God of Discord asked us, giving us a pretty plain riddle.

"A bag of shit," came the reply from Zaraki Kenpachi. I turned around and saw that our group had suddenly joined us out of nowhere.

_This is so not the original plan._

"Kenpachi!" Ikkaku bowed immediately to his commanding officer.

"You dare mock me?!" Chaos shouted.

"Yeah. What're you going to do about it, limp dick?" Unohana retorted.

"I will see that you meet your end!" Chaos' eye began to glow as the fog grew thicker.

"Wait! Let's solve this riddle, please!" Orihime begged. She inhaled, closing her eyes.

"I see _she_ is the wise one!" Chaos roared as Orihime opened her eyes.

"Can you please finish the riddle?" Orihime asked sweetly, mustering the sweetest smile I have ever seen.

"Very well. What is chaos born from chaos? What is a circle with an end? What is a god that bleeds? What is relativity? A man once stood as the savior of the mortal realm to save it from their burdens. What is purpose? And lastly... what is CHAOS?!" Chaos finished. Several of us stared because these riddles weren't making any sense.

"What the fuck kind of questions are these?!" Uryuu asked, surprising some of us.

"Yeah! Holy dog shit! And I thought _I _was bad at parties!" Captain Hitsugaya stated.

_Wait._

_Chaos._

Chaos began to laugh as most of us began arguing over the matter. Voodoo-Kaien watched with a smile on his face and I realized something. **That big ass eye isn't Chaos**. I walked up to him, grabbing Voodoo-Kaien by his shirt as I began to shake him about as he yelled. The eyeball stared at us, snarling but I kept shaking him furiously.

"Renji! What are you doing!" Rokujin asked.

"You asshole! You tricked us!" I growled at Voodoo-Kaien.

"I'm getting dizzy! Stop before I shit and puke on you!" Voodoo-Kaien urged so I dropped him. He looked up as he grabbed his hair.

"You're pretty sneaky, Chaos," Jinpachi said as he approached us. I smacked him with a paper fan that Kazujin conveniently handed to me.

"What!" Captain Muguruma exclaimed.

"Chaos' purpose as the God of Discord is doing exactly this. Pull us into a chaotic squabble," Sakura concluded.

"Clever!" Chaos who posed as Voodoo-Kaien chuckled while Mekujin got him up. He and Rokujin restrained Chaos as Jinpachi held the sharp end of Zenumuron a few centimeters at his throat, breathing heavily as he narrowed his eyes at Chaos.

"Life. One of the answers is life," Izayoi said.

"Ah! Brilliant!" Chaos commended.

"Inoue! You know the other answer!" Jinpachi barked.

I looked at Orihime. She had a sad expression so I went over to her, rubbing her back as I looked at an expectant Chaos.

"And death..." Orihime finished.

"Good," Chaos said darkly, his eyes glowing a light blue.

The world erupted, causing all of us to shriek in pain as the stinging sensation traveled through our bodies. I heard Chaos laughing as he changed the world, bring us back to the Void. A red mist came forth and when we arrived, I saw a pyramid. On the top was Asuka challenging the real Ghost King, a skeletal figure armed with a scythe. Hiruyaga rushed over to Setsuka who was at the bottom of the pyramid with Asuna. The world was still dark with the only light illuminating the surroundings being the top of the pyramid. Chaos still had Kaien's appearance but his eyes were now as black as night. He pointed at the top.

"The Pyramid of Harmony and Discord. I cannot follow from here for this is a task only your warriors must accomplish," Chaos said. "Adonai and I agreed to never intervene in your affairs directly ever again and that is why we sent our one and only son to save the mortal realm the first time. Now it's your turn!"

"Understood," Jinpachi said.

"Thank you for taking us here," Izayoi added, bowing to Chaos.

"Foolish girl!" the Ghost King shrieked, his blade colliding with Asuka's. I saw that she was about to be on the losing end. I heard Hiruyaga weeping as she held her daughter, Sakura cradling Asuna before both ran directly to where the fight was taking place.

"Sakura! No!" Kazujin ran after her.

Chaos was engulfed with a purple flame; Jinpachi summoned his own fires as we heard him growl. Chaos slammed his palm on the ground, creating a pathway for Jinpachi that led to the skies, creating large ethereal clouds; and a stairway. I saw at the top where Adonai observed the battle. The stairway descended to the opposite end of where we where, and an intersecting path made its way to the pyramid

"Kill him! Kill the Betrayer! Kill the Devil! Do so and you will open the Shadowy Land of the Dead!" Chaos declared, turning to us as demonic entities began to charge at us. "Jinpachi! Use the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird! Create the new Heavenly Jeweled Spear!"

"We're on it!" I said, withdrawing my zanpakutou.

"Go forth, my children. Save this planet. Save it," I heard Adonai call out to us. I looked up but I didn't see her mouth moving. She leaned forward on one of her clouds, her beautiful locks of hair flowing with the wind as the cosmic clouds began to appear beyond her. A neon green stream of light began descending down to us, touching our skin as we felt our body restored and new power flowing through our veins.

"What are we waiting for?!" Ichigo smirked, his body engulfed with black flame as he enters his new Bankai-Star Gladiator form.

"Everyone back to your battle stations! Protect the girl! Defend Orihime!" Kazujin ordered.

"Save my planet," Adonai repeated.

"KILL LUCIFER!" Chaos commanded.

"TO WAR!" Kazujin shouted, causing our massive army to respond with vigor renewed.

"BANKAI! SOUOU ZABIMARU!" I cried.

"TENSA ZANGETSU!" Ichigo's response came along with mine.

_We achieved the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. And we will employ our new skills. We are Star Gladiators._

"For honor. And for glory!" Jinpachi declared. Jinpachi flew towards the battle, fiery wings forming on his back as a giant dragon accompanied him. The skies turned into a cosmic blanket as a giant egg appeared from the heavens, cracking with the phoenix bursting, its shrieking cry ringing in our ears before it made its way towards the Pyramid of Harmony and Discord. Beautiful fireworks exploded and it captivated our hearts. When we snapped back to reality, we charged to the pyramid.

_The Prima Materia..._

"FIREWORKS!"

_To be continued_

_**Next Chapter: Fireworks, Orihime.**_

_**SNEAK PEAK!**_

_"Is this is really... the end?" I asked Renji, feeling my voice trembling as an uncontrollable stream of tears fell from my face._

_"I guess so... funny, isn't it? When something good happens, it ends in tragedy, eh?" Renji joked lightly. _

_"Renji..." I held out my hand towards him, trying to hold on as time began to distort, tearing us apart. I can feel a pull taking me away from him as I fought to hold on._

_"Goodbye... Orihime..." he whispered._

_"RENJI! RENJI! I WON'T FORGET YOU! FIND ME! RENJI!" I cried. He began to get sucked up into a bright light along with the rest of the Gotei. "I LOVE YOU! RENJI, I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!"_

_Our love is like fireworks._

_And all I can see are fireworks..._

_"RENJI!" _

_All I see are fireworks..._

_"RENJI! I'LL FIND YOU!"_

_Fireworks..._

_"RENJI! DON'T FORGET ME! I LOVE YOU!"_

_Even brighter than the moon..._

_"I love you... Orihime..."_

_Baby, you're a firework..._

**AN: **Last chapter is ahead. For those who truly enjoyed this, thank you for taking the time to read the saga and looking past my grammatical errors, and the rest of my mistakes and inconsistencies. I'm keeping it thirteen chapters short because I decided to keep it within a homage to Bleach and I didn't want to focus on my personal characters too much.


	13. Chapter 13: Endgame

_Chapter Thirteen: Fireworks, Orihime_

The Dark World. The Void. The Prima Materia. Chaos went rampant when Adonai slept, ruling the Dark World with his own dominions while Adonai slept in her own Secret Garden. She was born in the Void from all of the energies accumulating where the goddesses was necessary for the world's creation. She wandered in fear, in her own loneliness, weeping to escape the obscure astral plane. When she had completely awoken, she realized her fear and loneliness, and felt the abundance of pain flowing through her veins. She cried from the pain, screaming as she unleashed her immaculate powers, an explosion ensuing that became the Big Bang. As the world turned, the Dark World was created and from the disruptive imbalance, Chaos emerged and she cradled the God of Discord in her arms as he grew to adulthood. Because Chaos was the complete opposite of Adonai, he waged war against the Goddess of Harmony that lasted for centuries. During the stalemate, both deities realized they could never truly defeat one another and so Adonai and Chaos ended their battle with a sexual truce, mating for many years. From Chaos, the Darkness was created in the Dark World and it excelled in the Void. Adonai created the Light and it was good. She created the Garden of Eden where she gave birth to the cosmic egg; the aether, the Prima Materia. When it hatched, the aether overflowed in the world and the universe began to take shape. This was known as the First Day. On that day, Adonai created her first servant, the original commander-in-chief of her army, Lucifer. He was her most beautiful creation and she gave him command of her army, which Lucifer proudly took. Chaos assumed control of the Void, leaving all of the disruption within the realm. To create a balance in the world, Chaos and Adonai constructed the Pyramid of Harmony and Discord as a stairway between Life and Death, using the Heavenly Jeweled Spear to seal the worlds separate, accessed only by a bridge. On the Sixth Day, Adonai and Chaos created the pantheons and Lucifer grew jealous, plotting a rebellion. By the Seventh Day, Adonai slept in the Garden of Eden when Chaos entered the Void, realizing a large influx of negative energy. He saw the chasm and realized the Shadowy Land of the Dead. As he attempted to close the gateway, Lucifer waged war against Adonai and her army of angels, with Lucifer's fallen angels along with the fallen deities he managed to convince to join his side. The war was known as the First War of Armageddon, a land where Chaos finished the rest of the creation of the universe but did not realize he also created disruption for discord was his domain. When Lucifer met his end, Chaos noticed the war and banished him into the Shadowy Land of the Dead, along with the rest of his followers. Because of this, Chaos sealed himself in the Void while Adonai slept, embarrassed by his failure to shape the world the way his mate wanted. He sealed the Heavenly Jeweled Spear in an apocalyptic box containing evil but managed to leave a glint of hope left. He stored the box away and the world knew it as Pandora's Box. In time, their influence affected the world, leaving the primordial pantheons in charge of their own realms and their own conviction. As Chaos remained in the Void, interminably guarding the Pyramid of Harmony and Discord to prevent anyone entering the Shadowy Land of the Dead, Adonai wept in her sleep. Chaos sent their one and only true son to redeem the world which failed, but he opened the path to Heaven once more. Lucifer's influence had a far reach, and so Chaos allowed warfare to be created, an agreement he had with Adonai to let their spiritual children to handle their affairs with the mortals they commanded. Chaos unwittingly allowed Izanami to enter the Shadowy Land of the Dead, allowing the new entity known as the Ghost King to enter a deeper chasm than Hell where he could recover his strength. This forced Chaos to take the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird and create one last contingency: the Shinigami. He sealed the Prima Materia within the Garden of Eden and when he unleashed the Shinigami, the mortals began to slowly awaken, starting with Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve betrayed Chaos' word, he closed the Secret Garden and destroyed Lucifer's serpent. The command was given to the Shinigami; seek out evil and destroy it. From there, Chaos unleashed his fury that entered the mortal realm. Adonai remained in her slumber, with their true child awaiting for his mother's revival.

Asuka received a heavy blow to the abdomen, causing her to fly far from the pyramid. The Ghost King roared in laughter but he caught a glimpse of the phoenix so he summoned a specter to deflect it, which failed. The Ghost King screamed as the Prima Materia slammed on him, and before it got back up, Jinpachi's celestial bullets repeatedly hammer the evil deity once more. Renji and I ran to the pyramid but we didn't realize there was a labrynth in front of us. Everyone asides from those already engaging the Ghost King were restricted from taking flight, so our group with Aizen and his Espada army entered the maze, Rokujin and Mekujin's forces going another path while the Gotei, the Visored and Urahara's team battled the Ghost King's minions. Chaos did not interfere with the battle but flew up to Adonai. We learned Adonai had not truly awakened and therefore, he kept his promise in not sealing the Ghost King himself. Doing so would cause us to disappear, leaving our souls to wander the Void because we were in it. Had Chaos sealed him beforehand, the Prima Materia would wander freely, destroying everything in its pathway. They needed both Adonai and Chaos to control its power, and with Adonai incapable of acting, Chaos placed his faith in us. We had to get to Pandora's Box and we had to make sure Asuka doesn't discover its power. If Asuka dealt the killing blow, the world will be torn asunder. She did not wield the power to restore the world, so the new plan was to make sure Jinpachi defeated the Ghost King and we would restore time instead of obliterating the universe. We needed essential items to complete this task: Jinpachi and those with the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird must unlock its truest form with the Prima Materia to have a power of godhood similar to Chaos' and use it to forge the Heavenly Jeweled Spear. Jinpachi would be the one to defeat the Ghost King, and with the Prima Materia, he'll open the portal to Yomi. Opening Yomi will unlock a feral force that the Ghost King fears, and with our combined power, we will crush him, leaving nothing but a powerless Lucifer with his minions in the Shadowy Land of the Dead where they will pay for their crimes forever. The Pyramid of Harmony and Discord will begin to crumble, signifying an imbalance in the universe and so I was tasked in restoring it to its original form. Because of the evil escaping Yomi, my defense was necessary. Jinpachi's final task is to use the Heavenly Jeweled Spear to seal Yomi and complete the cycle, and when time reverses, the celestial weapon will be placed within another box. To make sure nobody openes it again, Jinpachi will leave his powers behind, destroying the lock with his ultimate attack: Fireworks.

And all we would know will be lost, and time will heal itself.

_But not my heart..._

"You fuckhead!" Kazujin shouted. He was being swarmed by giant chiropteras that didn't really harm him but distracted him from joining the fight between Jinpachi, Sakura and the Ghost King.

"Get off me!" we heard Hitsugaya Juushirou yelling from the other side. I assumed some of the beasts began attacking him.

"Renji!" I shrieked, pointing at giant jackals resembling the Egyptian god Anubis coming at us.

"We got this, girl!" Chizuru assured me, running at one Anubis with Keigo, Mizuho, Tatsuki and the rest of our classmates to battle it.

"Pointless," Uryuu stated, raining his spiritual arrows at one. I saw another volley of arrows coming from another sector and we assumed it was from Ryuuken.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Isshin's voice called out. The blast was large enough to block the bottom half of the pyramid.

"Watch where you're aiming that thing!" Ryuuken scolded.

"Shut up, you pansy!" Isshin retorted.

"Sounds like two people we know..." Chad commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Uryuu and Ichigo said simultaneously, looking at each other before continuing the run.

"Bankai. Chire, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya's voice boomed.

"Chimeras!" Tatsuki pointed out after her group caught up.

"They're mine!" Nnoitra declared, running at the group in his Resurreccion form.

"Gran Ray Cero!" Grimmjow shouted, blasting his massive Espada-exclusive cero at a group of chimeras attempting to sneak up on Nnoitra.

We kept running through the maze and we met Rokujin and Mekujin in the the center after an hour's worth of fighting. We stuck closely to each other and after another hour, we ran into the Gotei 13 and their allies. The maze was large enough for us to run at full speed so we had no trouble bumping into one another. Besides Ganju because he was running out of stamina but the Fullbringers kept harassing him to run faster. We approached the exit of the maze and when we actually left the obstacle, we met a fearsome army. In front of us, I saw Jinpachi going fist to fist against the Ghost King, Hiruyaga engaging one of his minions several steps below while Sakura decided to aid her husband. Izayoi entered her husband's battle but the Ghost King had very little problem handling their combined efforts. Hitsugaya soared through the air, taking down all stragglers trying to get to his parents while Asuna and Setsuka joined Hiruyaga after a recovery period. Asuka was nowhere to be found so that drew my concern.

"What are we waiting for, eh?!" Unohana was the first to charge with Zaraki Kenpachi following behind her. A second later, we all rushed forwards.

"ZAGA TEPPOU!" Renji cried, slamming an enemy with his Bankai's blade, blasting the fiend to bits before running by my side.

"Out of my way!" Zaraki commanded, literally throwing Captain Kurotsuchi from his destructive path.

"Renji! Look out!" I cried out to him.

A group of demonic reptilians lunged at me before Ichimaru impaled them with his zanpakutou. Renji dashed back to me towards the top of the pyramid. When we got a few steps up, we ran into a group of enemies; looking back, I noticed my Espada bodyguards were preoccupied, leaving us only Nel and Grimmjow to our defense. Ishida and Chad caught up but Tatsuki joined the fight down below with everyone else. Rokujin managed to climb the steps, leaving Mekujin to prevent anyone else from coming up with the aid of Isshin, Ryuuken and Urahara. Aizen managed to take to the air, battling a group single handedly while several familiar minions of the Ghost King appeared out of some grime. Chad utilized a suplex to slam one of the larger enemies before he started to pound it on the ground, crushing its bones and letting a black ooze extract from its orifices. I began running upwards as Renji began providing a safe pathway for me, with Ichigo and Rukia closely behind. Rokujin jumped in front of us to tackle down an incoming group of enemies before they overwhelmed him.

"Go! Get Orihime to the top!" Rokujin yelled to me.

"Rokujin!" I shouted, reaching out a hand to him.

"Complete the mission!" Rokujin ordered as the group impaled him with their weapons. Ishida ran to aid him but by the time the group left, Rokujin lay on the ground completely still, a puddle of blood beneath him.

"ROKUJIN!" Ichigo screamed.

"Ichigo! We have to go now! It's too late for him!" Grimmjow snapped.

"Fuck!" Renji yelled, running up the stairs.

As we ran, two Shinigami crashed in front of us, one male and one female whom I recognized: Momo Hinamori and Kira Uzuru. Hinamori had a giant hole blown on her abdomen and Kira lost one leg and one arm. His mouth was bleeding but he was out cold; Hinamori tried getting up but the pain was too much. I ran to them, tears flowing down my cheeks while Grimmjow began to tear several assailants coming to assassinate me.

"No! Hinamori! Kira!" I cried out.

"G-go, Orihime... finish... the job..." Momo said weakly before turning her head to the side, passing out.

"KIRA! HINAMORI!" Renji ran to Kira, picking up his head but I couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. His hands were trembling as he looked at his badly injured body.

_These two were with him at the academy..._

"Abarai-kun! Let's not waste time here!" Nel advised but she got hit by a blast of reiatsu.

"Nel!" Rukia called out.

We both looked up and another swarm of enemies greeted us. Renji ran towards them, swearing vengeance for his fallen brothers and sisters but Nnoitra, Starrk, Barragan and Harribel got there first. Nnoitra began swinging away while Starrk blasted the swarm with his guns; Barragan drew a squadron away while Harribel led the front. She was soon disposed of by a giant fiend that pierced her body multiple times where she was then tossed aside to roll down the steps. Grimmjow replaced her, releasing a blast of dense reiatsu with his Gran Ray Cero but more of them appeared. Before Grimmjow could be taken down by the fleet of demons, several rays of light slammed on the ground, obliterating our foes to oblivion as a new pathway was formed. I looked up and noticed Kazujin glowing white and I realized he gave us aid to finish our mission.

"Abarai-kun, keep going. Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" Captain Kuchiki called out, using his Bankai to clear a path for us.

"Let's go, Renji!" Ichigo said. Renji nodded.

We ran upwards while my own captain carefully guided his Senbon blades to make sure we were safely protected. Our group narrowed down to just Renji, Rukia, Ichigo, Uryuu, Chad, Grimmjow and myself. We're getting killed out here. It no longer became a battle. It was now a **massacre**. As we got closer, I noticed the Senbon blades no longer shielded us so when I looked back, I had a view of Captain Kuchiki vainly trying to evade a preemptive but was taken down by the faster fighters. We had no time to mourn anymore souls but we got to the top. When we did, all of the fighters were flying through the air.

"Guys, look!" Grimmjow pointed to the center of the pyramid.

We had a spectacle of some type of instrument that stood on the top of the pyramid. A three-pronged device with numerous holes that had green waves of energy emitting from it stood and I could hear deranged music playing from it. Then it played a familiar tune: the Moonlight Sonata. A bright orb of energy stood on the device, spinning slowly; its colors consisted of teal, bright purple with hints of red inside. We reached the device and stood in awe. We felt a calming presence so soothing that it brought all of us to tears.

_Was this... Adonai's love? Her weeping heart?_

I heard more cries from familiar voices so I walked over to the edge of the pyramid. What I saw made my heart hurt. Most of our friends were already killed. Tatsuki. Chizuru. Kira. Hinamori. Captain Kuchiki. I felt a hand grabbing mine and when I turned, I saw Renji staring into the bloody battlefield. No matter how much the Star Gladiator army eliminated, more monsters came forth. Ganju was halfway up the steps with Keigo and Lisa before they got jumped by a few demons. They held out for a while but they eventually lost their lives. Captain Hitsugaya ended up crashing on the top of the pyramid before skidding off. I looked down to see his dismembered arm on the grounds, a bloody trail following the rest of his body. My heart began getting hits of nausea as I saw more of our friends being brought down. Mekujin tried to get away by dragging some of the larger fiends away from our allies but it was fruitless. He was killed in mid-flight before they resumed their onslaught. Captain Zaraki and Captain Unohana still stood as did Captain Shunsui and Captain Ukitake. Captain Sui-Feng was vivisected along with Ichimaru Gin and Yoruichi tried assuming vengeance but she, too, was brought down easily. As the enemies' numbers dwindled, more were summoned from nowhere. I fell to my knees, my body shaking as droplets of hot tears fell on the floor. Renji began pounding the ground.

_We're losing this fight..._

"How... how is this possible..." Grimmjow grumbled. I can sense fear in his voice.

"Ichigo..." Aizen's voice called out weakly.

"Sousuke!" Uryuu went to Aizen and when I saw him, he lost his legs from the fight. It seems he was on his way up before he got attacked and his assaulters were defeated by a joint effort of Grimmjow and Tousen before Tousen was brought to the bottom of the pyramid.

"Shit! What are we going to do?!" Ichigo screamed.

"You... girl... get to the orb..." Aizen called out.

"The orb?" I asked.

"Inoue! Use your powers! Reverse time!" Jinpachi commanded from the skies. Several of the larger fiends tried attacking him but he held out on his own.

"But... our friends..." I whispered.

"Do it! Do it, Orihime! Stop being scared! What do you fight for!" Jinpachi shouted.

"Right... I will... I'm not scared... I'm not scared... not anymore... I'M NOT AFRAID ANYMORE! SHUN SHUN RIKKA!" I cried out, summoning my fairies who surprisingly took on our heights.

"We're right behind you, boss!" Tsubaki assured me.

"Go! I reject!" I threw my hand out to the orb, allowing my Shun Shun Rikka allies to charge at the orb, assimilating themselves unto the device.

_This is it._

_The last frontier._

_The final battle._

_The end of our crusade._

_The omega._

_Armageddon._

"Foolish mortals!" the Ghost King shouted, landing on the pyramid with Jinpachi and Izayoi held by their throats.

"Protect her... defend Orihime..." Izayoi said to us as she struggled before passing out.

"You weak souls!" the Ghost King said, laughing as Izayoi was thrown next to Rukia.

"You bastard..." Jinpachi began punching the the Ghost King's abdomen, and I could hear loud smacks from his fist meeting the hard exterior of the Deceiver's body.

"Look!" Rukia pointed up at the sky.

I looked upwards and I saw Kazujin engaging several enemies but past him, I no longer saw Adonai's ethereal clouds nor Chaos. Instead, I saw a giant star expanding at a very dangerous rate. Then the star explodes, turning into a supernova; no, a _hypernova_. I felt my body shaking so much that I didn't realize the grounds were trembling as well. A black hole began to form, sucking up some minor rubble but gravity was generous to us. Then a jet stream of gamma ray bursts descending on us, raw energy destroying the surface as the battle continued, vaporizing friend and foes alike. I turned back and saw that a pedestal was created. Jinpachi sent one last punch to the Ghost King's abdomen before his neck was snapped. The Deceiver threw him aside before his focus turned to me. Renji charged at him but the Ghost King knocked him down. I cried out for him but I resumed my mission. A bright sphere began to form in a perfect round shape and seconds later, a light wave ascended into the sky towards the black hole which sucked the light into it.

"You silly girl. You think you can save the fate of your universe?" the Ghost King said, laughing at our efforts.

"You will _not_ hurt my friends! I reject you!" I shouted, channeling all of my energy towards the device.

"You can't stop me!" the Ghost King declared.

"Just watch!" I said but I couldn't keep a straight poker face.

_How are we going to stop him..._

_Wait._

_Event horizon!_

I decided to enact a plan in getting the Ghost King close enough to the event horizon to distract him so we could continue our plans. We could use the black hole to get him out of our hair but because he is an amalgamation of evil deities, it'll only delay his terrorizing. But the only one capable of fighting him with comparable strength is deceased so I had to think fast. The Deceiver began making his way towards me, his body slowly materializing flesh from several spiritual particles accumulating around him and when his transformation was complete, he had a beautiful face and dark hair. His skin was ashen, pale and had several black veins pulsating around his body. His eyes were completely black, six black wings forming behind him as he wore beautiful white robes. He had a silver diadem on his head with the single jewel cracked from what I assumed to be battle. He had worn down sandals and in his hands was a scythe. This must be the primal form of the Ghost King, and I assumed Lucifer was the dominant soul.

"Behold! Child, I have acquired the Prima Materia!" the Ghost King declared, holding out a small egg in front of me. The light going into the black hole started going into the egg as the Deceiver took his ascent, and a burst of white light formed behind him.

"What's happening?!" Uryuu asked.

"From the Void... there was Light... and Darkness. For too long has humanity sought darkness. For too long did Adonai seal me in the chasms where no light can escape! This is my retribution!" the Ghost King began to roar in laughter as he said this.

_He's missing a fang..._

Then I remembered something. Jinpachi fought the Ghost King at one point and hurt him bad enough to chip his tooth. He embedded the fang into him and his Death Force was truly unlocked. If the Ghost King is that powerful, then Jinpachi isn't...

"THIS UNIVERSE IS MINE!" the Ghost King declared.

"Like hell it is!" Jinpachi's voice boomed, blasting the Ghost King off the pyramid with a kidou-enhanced slash from his Death Force similar to the Getsuga Tenshou.

"Jinpachi!" Ichigo said cheerfully.

_Doppelganger._

_He hid his reiatsu well enough to conceal his presence._

"Orihime! Start restoring the orb! We'll take care of him for you!" Jinpachi ordered as Izayoi joined him.

"Yes, sir!" I replied, and began my healing process.

The orb started taking various shapes before turning into an ethereal hummingbird. I felt myself crying as the world started crumbling around me but I pressed on. I focused all of my energy unto the orb and saw how Ichigo and Renji recovered fast enough to help Jinpachi bring the Deceiver towards the black hole. A combined effort of the wielders of the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird sent the Ghost King into the black hole, with Jinpachi utilizing his O-Bankai to make it a difficult struggle for the Ghost King to get out. When I resumed my activities, I saw many spiritual particles beginning to go into the orb and the device later started taking the shape of a spear. This was it. The Heavenly Jeweled Spear.

"Jinpachi-sama!" I cried out.

"On my way!" Jinpachi screamed to me but when I looked back, I saw Asuka holding the spear in her hands.

"Asuka-san?" I tilted my head.

Her eyes were glowing a furious red. A flame-like pattern of spiritual energy fluctuating around her form. She spun the weapon in a clockwise rotation rapidly to the point I could no longer see the blade end anymore but it produced a ray of light to engulf her in a golden hue. I heard a soothing whistling sound emitting from the spinning movements and a cool breeze touching my skin. I heard the ocean for some reason and before I knew it, Asuka had a lift off towards the black hole. She sped past Jinpachi and I realized I made a mistake in letting her go. I found myself soaring upwards from a beam of light before I landed on my ass on a set of clouds.

"ASUKA! NO!" Jinpachi cried out, chasing after her.

"Asuka, don't do it!" Izayoi pleaded, following after her daughter.

"Yes! Give into your anger child! COME AND CLAIM ME!" the Ghost King said invitingly, exposing himself after leaving the black hole.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY!" Asuka screamed. She started floating in front of the Ghost King who kept on laughing condescendingly at her.

_Our plans..._

_Why is this happening to us..._

"Asuka, stop! You can only use it once!" Hitsugaya Juushirou warned.

"I don't care! This bastard is the sole reason why our family has been hurt so much!" Asuka entered a battle stance as she stood on clouds.

"Leave that motherfucker to me! Just don't do it!" Jinpachi arrived close enough but was still too far from Asuka.

"I'm sorry, daddy... but no longer will I bend to anyone's will!" Asuka charged at the Ghost King who did not bother to move.

"YES! DO IT! DO IT!" the Ghost King goaded her and I saw he didn't bother to budge. And it cost him.

"NO!" Jinpachi shouted, holding the spear's body with his hands. He raced fast enough to close the distance but Asuka was fast enough to impale the Ghost King.

"Asuka... what have you done..." Izayoi gasped.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I had to... I'm sorry..." Asuka began weeping as she stumbled to the ground away from Jinpachi and the Ghost King.

"Well done, girl..." the Ghost King congratulated weakly. "You have freed... your people... and mine..."

"Mama?" Asuna called out weakly. Asuka looked to her child but continued to weep.

"No..." Hiruyaga said as Sesshoumaru carried her close to the two.

"It's too late now, Jinpachi... it's too late for everything," the Ghost King says, falling to his knees as he held on to the Heavenly Jeweled Spear.

"Asuka! Why?!" Hitsugaya demanded his sister.

"I... I hated that man!" Asuka screamed, weeping on the floor.

"Jinpachi... the bridge..." Izayoi pointed at the bridge connecting to Heaven and the Void.

I looked up and saw Adonai's sad expression. Chaos had a look of disappointment and before long, he turned around with Adonai closely behind him. Her heavenly clouds disappeared before the stairway disappeared as well. I looked down and realized the world is being torn apart. A cataclysm. Asuka instigated the Big Rip. I felt Renji grabbing on to me so I turned, helping him up. We found ourselves back on the battlefield, the Pyramid of Harmony and Discord too unstable to set ourselves down to. We placed all of our deceased in a symmetrical line. Among them were Captains Kuchiki, Sui-Feng, Muguruma, Roujuurou, Komamura, Hitsugaya Toushirou, Zaraki Kenpachi, Kurotsuchi; Lieutenants Izuru, Hinamori, Matsumoto, Tetsuzaemon, Isane Kotetsu, Hisagi, Genshirou Okikiba, Mashiro Kuna, ex-Captain-Commander Yamamoto; the vast majority of the Gotei 13, leaving only a fraction of them behind; all the Visords minus Hachi and Love Aikawa; Aizen and just Grimmjow remained from the Espada army though Nel surprisingly survived so that left everyone else dead; Rokujin; Mekujin; Jinpachi's army was nearly annihilated; the Fullbringers but Tsukishima survived; Hikifune, Kirinji and Shutara were the last of the Royal Guard left; all of our friends have died as well who were part of the Karakura Special Forces; Isshin; Ryuuken; Yoruichi; Urahara's group minus Hachi and Urahara himself; and then there's us, the survivors. I looked around. The surviving officers. Jinpachi's original forces still stood minus Genryuusai. Most of us were wounded. Shunsui lost an arm but Hachi did his best to heal the seriously wounded. Ukitake's eyes were bleeding and he had multiple gashing wounds on his body. Nemu held on her abdomen, blood dripping from her mouth as Setsuka tried feeding her some food to restore her energy but she refused. She sat next to her captain, tears falling down her face but too tired to whimper. Shinji sat Aizen down as his former lieutenant struggled to breathe. Grimmjow stared at his fallen Espada brethren but did not utter a word. I was kneeling next to Renji who was laying unconsciously on the ground. Jinpachi walked around to inspect the survivors as the world continued to surrender to the Big Rip. I heard the Ghost King cackle and Jinpachi walked up to the dying deity. The Deceiver fell to the floor, black blood coming out from his mouth as he continued to age, the spear still stuck inside him. Jinpachi pulled the spear out and it was no longer glowing. It was a normal weapon. Zenumuron materialized to stand next to Jinpachi when the Ghost King stared at the familiar face.

"What's so funny, you sick fuck!" Ichigo demanded.

"Even during the process of his demise, the Ghost King is still a bag of shit," Hitsugaya says.

"Pity. I have nothing but pity for this poor soul," Kazujin said calmly.

"I don't need your sympathy, fool. You have yet to realize... the true power of humanity," the Ghost King snapped.

"What is he talking about?" Setsuka asked her mother but she didn't answer her.

"He gave mankind freedom," Sakura replied.

"Jinpachi, you have the fate of the universe in your hands, not in some incompetent god!" the Ghost King said to Commander Jinpachi.

"What are you talking about?" Jinpachi inquired.

"The Prima Materia is an _idea_, not an object. You have it in you to save this universe and spare it, or render it into chaos. But chaos rules all!" the Ghost King said cryptically.

_What..._

"Jinpachi..." Izayoi whispered.

I looked at Jinpachi contemplating. The Ghost King took one last breath before dying where he lied down on. He knelt down to close his eyes to show the deity respect before he dissolved into dust. Rays of light began rising from the cracks of the surface and we were running out of time and options. Jinpachi looked at me before looking at everyone else. He took Zenumuron as the Death Force once more took the shape of a weapon; Commander Jinpachi immediately went to his O-Bankai mode but I noticed something else different about him. He started having the aura of a god and his aura was immaculate. The spear began to glow as he glared at the sky, his eyes glowing a bright white.

"We have all been deceived. CHAOS!" Jinpachi roared.

"What?!" Uryuu and Kuukaku stated as Ganju struggled to get up.

"Chaos had been planning this all along... he wanted nothing but chaos..." Kazujin concluded.

_I get it. He wanted us to enter in an endless loop where we fought each other and repeated the bloodshed. _

"You coward!" Jinpachi shrieked, slamming the spear on the ground before the once dark Void turned into a brighter place.

"That bastard!" Izayoi smashed her fist against a column next to her, crushing it entirely.

The realm was gorgeous. The ground was made of marble that was so clean, it had our reflections on the surface. Clouds loomed over our heads as if the sun were setting or just rising. A white mist formed around us and many temples filled the region. Several ponds were on the floor and I noticed gardens hanging everywhere. A tower stood beyond this city and I noticed thunder and lightning striking it.

"We made it. We are here... in Babylon," Jinpachi informed us, causing me to gasp.

"That must be the Tower of Babel," Hitsugaya guessed.

"What do we do?" Renji asks no one in particular.

"We fight Chaos. And restore balance," said Commander Jinpachi.

_Tower of Babel: Final Floor_

"So you've decided to come after all," Chaos said, his back facing us.

One by one we made it to the top floor. The tower itself was beautiful and it represented many ethereal figures but the last level was the most beautiful. It was a giant room and near Chaos was a piano. The floors were checked in black and white, the walls featuring many designs elaborating the creation of the universe and its predicted end. It showed a warrior similar to Jinpachi dealing the killing blow on the Ghost King but that didn't happen: it was Asuka's doing. As we got closer, we noticed Chaos just enjoying the view as the tower moved in slow circles. In front of us was a pool, no windows preventing anyone from falling so the hanging garden was let loose outside of the tower's edge. Chaos was wearing a white coat with the collars expanding upwards. He turned to face us and he still looked like Kaien albet with a demented smile and eyes as black as coal. He held a long scepter, glaring at our group.

It took us a long while to get up on the tower. There were many floors with various kinds of trap, battles and obstacles to overcome. Ganju's pet boar was killed by one of the traps when it pushed Lieutenant Kusajishi out of harm's way. The moment we entered the tower, we were rendered powerless so we had to resort to using our own thinking skills and natural strength. One of the obstacles we had to overcome was putting pieces together to a giant gyrating mechanism which operated the tower's rotation cycle while the stronger fighters took care of the enemies, though Jinpachi was actually one of the people helping us put the gears together. He was highly intelligent for a berserker which I mildly offended him by commenting on that loudly but he was a good sport. Another battle we endured was against a leviathan that Ganju killed himself because it was indirectly involved in killing his pet; it startled Yachiru, causing her to jump back to the trap before the boar took the fatal blow and was sliced in half by a saw. Now he's using the fangs as weapons. My favorite puzzle was one where we had to get pieces to a rather large door key as we traversed up a long, narrow slope that gave us problems ascending. Chasing us were giant monstrous balls that Ichigo, Uryuu, Kazujin, Renji, Chad and Jinpachi took turns knocking them down. I had to drag Aizen up since he was missing limbs. What made it my favorite obstacle was when we made it to the top, I accidentally slipped and dragged one of them with me as I grabbed on to its chain, creating a domino effect that threw the rest into the abyss. Our allies made a humanoid rope to save me with Jinpachi using his strength to hold on to a column, crushing it as he pulled us up. And the fact that I put the last piece to the key and it flew up to the keyhole, opening the door. By the time we got to Chaos, our powers were reverted to normal.

"Enough of this, Chaos! Start talking!" Jinpachi demanded, pointing his muscular arms at the God of Discord as electricity danced around his physique.

"Why are you doing this? For no reason? Answer us!" Izayoi demanded.

"He won't talk. His aim is to create chaos," Aizen said while the rest of us talked among ourselves.

"Indeed! My aim is to create chaos but even that has reasons, no? What **are** my reason?" Chaos asked us cryptically.

"I've had enough of these games!" Hitsugaya declared.

"He's mine!" Asuka charged at Chaos, pulling out her Genjutsurugi.

"Asuka! No!" Setsuka cried out to her cousin.

"O-Bank-UGH!" Asuka cried out, Chaos slamming his scepter into her abdomen.

"Asuka!" Izayoi ran to her daughter as the deity leaped at a considerable distance from her. Asuka's mother glared at the god.

"Silly rabbit! Tricks are for kids!" Chaos laughed, ruining the slogan for a famous cereal brand.

"You monster... you will pay for this..." Izayoi declared with indignation.

"Why are you doing this..." I whispered.

"Because I simply... can," Chaos said, summoning a broad sword.

"You bastard!" Renji yelled, earning a laugh from Chaos.

"After all that Adonai has done for you..." Hiruyaga said, Asuna and Sesshoumaru at her side.

"After all she's done for me? Please! She knew this was going to happen! We are the balance of the universe!" Chaos spread his arms out as the tower began changing.

The skies began to plummet asteroids, destroying the glorious city as Chaos roared in laughter. We all looked around as the walls crumbled, revealing a new plane of existence. We made it back to the starry world but still stood on a tower; it began sprouting thorn-like structures that protruded with smaller edges, the tower turning black as Chaos began turning into Jinpachi but became a negative version of him: his skin turned pale white, his hair matching the color coordination but Chaos' Death Force was black as opposed to Jinpachi's silver Death Force. Jinpachi threw his commander's hoari down which Chaos repeated, though his haori was black. Commander Jinpachi began to release his reiatsu which took on red flames, Chaos mimicking his movements while his flames turned a dark blue.

"It's time we end this, God of Discord!" Commander Jinpachi shouted.

"I couldn't agree more!" Izayoi commented.

"Then come! Wield your hatred! I welcome it!" Chaos smiled.

"O-Bankai!" Izayoi cried out. "Heavenly Light, I Summon Thee! Chapter of Judgment: Circle of the Seven Seas! Descend Upon The Heavenly Skies, Ouhoyamatsumi!"

Izayoi's appearance changed; she was no longer wearing her Gotei uniform but she wore a beautiful kimono that had pink floral patterns on the bottom, with sky blue sashes around her waist. Her right sleeve was missing but she revealed to have a beautiful gauntlet on. Her ample bosom was shown but it was wrapped in bandages and her hair was no longer loose but tied up with a white comb holding her ponytail. Her eyeliner was darker and thicker and her lips were glittered. Her weapon, I realized, was also a Death Force and it took the shape of a gorgeous Chinese dao. She placed one of her legs in front, showing off her beautiful skin and I saw she wore white sandals that elevated her height by two inches. Snow began to fall around her as a slim dragon descended, its body rushing with briny torrents.

"Heavenly Cannonade!" Izayoi shouted, her water dragon unleashing a stream of highly pressurized water at Chaos that he managed to dodge but the torrent destroyed several structures until it was obliterated from existence.

"Is that the best you got, water goddess!" Chaos mocked.

"Eat this!" Hitsugaya jumped to meet Chaos, encasing him in ice as Yachiru gave him a swift kick to Sakura.

"Gemini Strike!" Sakura's Soul Reaper changed into twin gun-saber hybrids, firing a volley of spiritual energy at Chaos that rendered him with one arm and leg missing, half of his face gone and his torso nearly blown to bits.

"Weak," Chaos said as he began regenerating. When he reformed, Izayoi took a leap towards him, swinging her blade at Chaos as a giant water deity copied her movements but it fell on him, trapping him in a giant tidal wave before a herd of horses slammed into Chaos.

"There is no way he can live through that!" Ichigo stated.

"Don't be so sure," Izayoi warned before she joined us.

"Look!" Rukia tugged on his yukata once the waters cleared, revealing Chaos as nothing but one arm, part of his torso and half of his face gone.

"Is that it?!" Chaos laughed.

Shunsui and Ukitake took him to the battlefield before everyone else but Jinpachi, Izayoi, Hiruyaga, Kazujin, Sakura and myself. Chaos had no trouble disarming everyone and sent them all back to the ground one by one. Ichigo got up, swinging his zanpakutou at the God of Discord but he merely caught the blade, reeling him in close enough to give Ichigo a quick gut check before he sent him crashing near Renji. Commander Jinpachi got in front of them to deflect the Getsuga Tenshou back at him but he still stood. Kazujin and Sakura entered the fight, her Zodiac Braves attempting to bring him down but he had no problems destroying them. Kazujin held him in a grip from behind, allowing Sakura to do serious damage to Chaos but he still managed to laugh at her attempts. I noticed Jinpachi just observing and I couldn't help but wonder what he was waiting for.

"He can't enter the fight without hurting anyone else," Izayoi stated.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Jinpachi's only way of hurting him is with his Fireworks. That requires us to be as far away as possible and that's a hard task to accomplish," Hiruyaga answered.

"So we need to get them far away," I said.

"But... how?" Asuka asked.

I realized that we had nowhere to go. The bottom of the tower was not the beautiful paradise we once saw but a cesspool of chaotic matter. Everything entering it was destroyed. I saw the Heavenly Jeweled Spear and I thought of something. If I could activate it again, we can use it to lock Chaos into the Shadowy Land of the Dead. Which I assume is right below us. I ran to the spear with Setsuka and Asuna but it was too heavy to remove. It was planted on a rock and I couldn't remember who brought it but it's safe to assume Commander Jinpachi did. Restoring it back to power is one thing but wielding it is another. Maybe Jinpachi can use it as a weapon and as a key but I remembered it needed the Prima Materia to activate.

_The Prima Materia._

_It's an eternal aether._

_The Ghost King said it was an idea._

_It's a concept._

"The Prima Materia... it's the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird..." I said to myself.

"What?" Setsuka asked.

"The Prima Materia! It's the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird!" I repeated.

"Eh?" Asuna tilted her head while Setsuka scratched her ear.

"The Ghost King said it was a concept. Maybe... the Prima Materia is within... the Star King..." I thought aloud.

"Then let's get it to Commander Jinpachi!" Setsuka decided.

"Right!" I pumped my fists up.

We tried pulling it but it was no use. I looked up and saw Jinpachi engaging Chaos but using normal melee attacks. He was joined by his parents when Hiruyaga entered the fray. Sesshoumaru tried taking him from behind but he received a kick to his abdomen, falling right on top of the last two survivors of the Zaraki Squad. Renji saw me so he ran to where I was, along with Ichigo and Hitsugaya. We tried pulling the weapon from the stone but to no avail. I walked back, and I felt myself about to cry. I was losing hope.

_No... we cannot give up now... not when we came this far... I can take losing Renji but I can't take letting my friends' deaths go to waste..._

I fell down on the ground, sobbing as silently as I could. I began to have flashbacks of good times I've had with these people. I actually like some of the Espada, like Ulquiorra. Tatsuki. Chad. Ichigo. Renji. I can't lose them all. I looked up at the trio and noticed they began glowing. I was astonished and realized they had the heart for it. They had the intent.

_It's a concept!_

Jinpachi and Kazujin landed next to us. Kazujin groaned as he got up, shaking some rubble from his hair while Jinpachi immediately stood, unconsciously grabbing the spear and removing it but he was tackled by Chaos before he took flight, dragging Jinpachi along the ground as he did so. The spear glowed and I realized all of us did, too. Asuka saw this and she grabbed the spear, rushing to her father's aid. Chaos continuously harassed Jinpachi but holding his throat and slamming him to numerous columns.

"Asuka!" Kazujin shouted.

"Haaah! Eat this, you dick!" Asuka hurled the spear at Chaos.

Jinpachi looked at us and when Chaos' attention was shifted, he grabbed the spear at the last minute. He smiled at Jinpachi, piercing him in the heart. I heard Izayoi cry out his name before Jinpachi lay lifeless. We waited for him to appear out of nowhere but it became apparent he lost his life to Chaos. In her blind fury, she charged at Chaos but was soon knocked down with the Heavenly Jeweled Spear. Kazujin summoned a phoenix to attack Chaos but he destroyed it as well. Chaos began blasting everyone coming his way as he headed towards us with black energy. He threw everyone away from me with a telekinetic force, raising the spear as he glared at me murderously. I closed my eyes and braced for impact but felt none. I looked up to see him confused, struggling to send the blade to my face. When it didn't, I saw something come our way. Or _someone_.

"You. Of course you'd come," Chaos said to the figure.

It was a walking body of energy, burning brightly with angelic fire. It had large wings that shrieked when they expanded. It was a masculine figure so I deduced it as male. Even though it was filled with energy, I could tell it was wearing armor. It walked towards us, the floors dripping with its flames and when it closed in, it stopped. It pointed a finger at us as Chaos turned to face his new adversary.

"Enough!" the voice said to Chaos.

"Seraphius De Angelus. My son," Chaos addressed him. I gasped as I stared at him, an androgynous face beginning to form but his body remained on fire.

_Was this... the last member of the Holy Trinity?_

_Adonai - God the "Father" or Mother in a more technical sense._

_Chaos - the Holy Ghost._

_And Seraphius De Angelus - the Son who walked among mortals as Jesus Christ._

_This is throwing things out of biblical proportion!_

"Seraphius?..." I said weakly. I thought the seraphim were angels.

"Yes. I was born out of the Prima Materia. And I have been watching you, Orhime," Seraphius told me.

"Me?" I pointed at myself.

"Yes, you. You who wields the purest form of the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird. You who wield's my mother's love," Seraphiu said.

"The order of angels were named after him," Chaos included. "The highest echelon!"

"And you must stop this madness, father!" Seraphius demanded.

"Nonsense! I am here to do what I do best!" Chaos laughed but grunted. I saw a blade sticking out and holding that blade was Jinpachi.

He was brought back to life. Jinpachi had more tribal tattoos on him and I saw his mouth open with a ferocious grin, fangs bared from his exposed mouth. Spikes protruded from his back and I saw his other arm holding a familiar demonic appearance. Giant black feathered wings were raised as Chaos began turning into something similar to Seraphius but in black flames. Jinpachi roared, thrusting deeper into Chaos as black ooze dripped from the wound. Chaos held on to the blade but it was fruitless. Jinpachi began accumulating enough spiritual energy to blow this place to bits.

"Orihime! Now!" Commander Jinpachi instructed me.

"Right!" I nodded, getting up.

I grabbed the Heavenly Jeweled Spear and began focusing everything on it. The last survivors consisting of Aizen, Tsukishima, Izayoi, Asuka, Kazujin, Asuna, Hiruyaga, Grimmjow, Ichigo, Renji, Chad, Uryuu, Urahara, Rukia, Hachi, Sakura, and Hitsugaya Juushirou ran to us when they saw what had happened, placing their hands on the spear as it glowed brighter. The remainder were either down and out or killed from the resulting battle. I felt tears as Chaos cursed us and his son, cursing Adonai and I saw the Ghost King appear next to Seraphius but more angelic. It was Lucifer and he placed a hand on the spear. We all shouted with pride in our hearts as the skies roared, Seraphius staring at his father with sorrow as Lucifer sent a swift punch to the God of Discord, opening the wound deeper as Jinpachi restrained him from behind. We grabbed the spear with the former Ghost King by our side as he began turning the weapon into a giant flaming sword that Seraphius took from us after we gave a portion of our spiritual energies unto it while it burned an insidious red before the flames became immaculate. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply as I began remembering all the good times I've had.

_Renji..._

_I will always love you..._

_No matter what..._

"NO!" Chaos screamed. "THIS WORLD IS MINE!"

"Not anymore, you God damn fuckhead!" Jinpachi shouted, uppercutting him as Chaos flew up in a weakened state.

"Jinpachi! Now!" Seraphius ordered as Jinpachi caught the weapon tossed at him, fusing it with his Death Force as he took flight.

Commander Jinpachi began donning a beautiful armor with flames pouring out from various parts of his form. Two giant wings were produced and a phoenix was summoned to fly by him along with his fiery dragon. Jinpachi made a withdrawing action as he took a swipe at Chaos, wounding the God of Discord as he floated in the air. He yelled once more, flames nearly covering our vision as fireworks began bursting in the background. The beautiful scenery made Chaos cry out in pain as Seraphius wept at his father. Jinpachi flew at the God of Discord, blasting him with spiritual energy as Lucifer chuckled. I wept, feeling a burst of energy leaving my chest as the others released their reiatsu towards Jinpachi while mine made its way towards Chaos, ensnaring him with tendrils that took the form of a giant snake.

"Ashes to ashes... dust to dust..." Seraphius said softly.

"My resolve cannot be swayed... my will is perpetual... my shining light... my love... all evil in the world... I REJECT!" I shouted.

"O-BANKAI! HELL'S RETRIBUTION! EXCEL WITH MY WRATH! ZENUMURON!" Jinpachi screamed, slicing him with incredible speed and precision before jumping up only to descend, cutting Chaos in half. "THE FINAL SCENE OF THE ARMAGEDDON!"

"NO! YOU WILL TEAR THIS WORLD APART!" Chaos cried out.

_No. Not with our will. Not with our determination. Not with our Heartbeat of the Hummingbird. It's not over. Not for the Star King until he achieves victory._

"FIREWORKS!" Jinpachi's Fireworks burst and slammed on Chaos.

"NO!" Chaos' yell echoed as he dissipated from the killing blow.

Jinpachi descended, flicking his Death Force with his wrist as Chaos' demise created a large explosion. Fireworks continued to burst through the world and I couldn't help but stare. Jinpachi returned to normal as he embraced Izayoi. Hiruyaga hugged her lover and child, while Asuna sobbed on Asuka. Hitsugaya jumped up, cheering while Kazujin shared an endearing kiss with Sakura. Everyone of us cheered that even Aizen smiled. I looked at Renji and kissed him hard. When we released ourselves from the kiss, we stared at the fireworks, cheering as they continued to explode. Then I felt the ground tremble so I looked to Seraphius but Lucifer was gone. I began silently seeking him for answers.

"What's going on? I thought we won!" Tsukishima said.

"You did but Chaos' spirit roams free," Seraphius said, pointing at a dark cloud hovering where Chaos was annihilated.

"But he was defeated..." Setsuka said in a disheartened tone.

"This is the true form of Chaos. Without it, the world will disappear. You must seal him," Seraphius advised before disappearing.

"Wait! How! What do we do?" I asked.

"Do what you think is best," Seraphius says, disappearing completely.

_This means I really am losing Renji..._

"Then let's get to it!" Jinpachi jumped up, forcing the cloud down with the Heavenly Jeweled Spear after segregating from the Death Force.

"Orihime! Let's go!" Aizen commanded.

Jinpachi held Chaos by the tip of the blade and I grabbed on to it. I felt everyone placing their hands on my hands, with Renji's on top of mine. I felt him wrap his free arm on my waist as the spear glowed. Jinpachi handed the spear to me while he threw the remnants of Chaos down the lake of chaotic matter, opening a hole and I saw it: Yomi, the Shadowy Land of the Dead. Chaos tried coming out of it, but Jinpachi dragged it down with him.

"Do it! Now! Seal us both in!" Jinpachi ordered.

"Daddy! No!" Asuka cried.

"I lost you once! I'm not losing you again!" Izayoi declared, jumping down with her lover.

"Orihime!" Renji says, causing me to focus once more.

"Renji... I love you..." I whispered, throwing the Heavenly Jeweled Spear at Chaos' body as the cloud fell down. Jinpachi and Izayoi managed to get away in time before Yomi closed, leaving Chaos in the dreadful realm.

"Look. The world is still collapsing," Chad observed.

"No," Kazujin corrected. "It's restarting. Back to the beginning. The Big Crunch."

"Everyone! Stay close!" Sesshoumaru called out to us.

"Renji!" I called for him. Renji grabbed my hand as he pulled me into an embrace.

"Hold on to me! Orihime!" he said, squeezing me as hard as he can.

The tower began to collapse and the world was tearing apart, bright rays of light beginning to descend upon us. I felt scared. I rather die with him than to restart everything. I can't do this! No! Why did I do this! Why didn't I just let history do as it wished! Why me?! Why am I always on the losing side of the battlefield?! How can I live without him?!

_Renji..._

_Oh, Renji... how could I live without you... how could I ever survive..._

**Fireworks.**

They continued to display its exuberance.

The **love** we _made_.

The **kisses** we _shared_.

The **memories** we _had_.

_Why?_

"ADONAI! WHY?!" I screamed as I sobbed on Renji's blood stained uniform.

"Because I love you," her voice replied.

_I don't want to start all over again! Not where it was before I met him!_

"RENJI!" I cried out again.

"BRACE!" Jinpachi cried out and we all huddled together, Renji wrapping his arms around me.

Then a bursting light covered us and we were in a world filled with light. I felt us drifting apart as we tried holding on.

"KAZUJIN!" Sakura cried out to her husband.

"NO! SAKURA! I'LL FIND YOU! I PROMISE I'LL FIND YOU!" Kazujin said before disappearing.

"MOM!" Setsuka held out a hand for Hiruyaga but she and Sesshoumaru disappeared, too.

"SHIT!" Hitsugaya, Chad, Uryuu and Tsukishima yelled simlutaneously.

"ICHIGO! DON'T LET ME GO!" Ganju began swimming towards Ichigo but he kicked him away, sending him crashing to Kuukaku before they were engulfed into the light.

"Well, isn't this pleasant?" Aizen asked sarcastically, earning a scoff from Grimmjow.

"I hope I see Ken-chan again!" Yachiru said hopefully, disappearing with the bulk of the last Gotei 13 members. Down below, I saw our fallen allies how we laid them out in a row aligning one another and the imagery shook me up so bad that the best option for Renji was to hold me tighter.

_We're together again..._

"Izayoi..." Jinpachi whispered.

"Jinpachi..." she whispered back, the two of them floating in an embrace.

"Rukia! RUKIA!" Ichigo cried out before Rukia disappeared.

"We'll see each other again!" Rukia assured.

_Yeah... you will... and I'll lose Renji in the process... and we'll meet... as enemies..._

"Please don't let me go..." I begged.

"I won't..." Renji says, smiling as he hugged me.

"Find me..." Izayoi said.

"I will..." Jinpachi replied.

"Promise?" Izayoi asks, her voice cracking.

"Promise," Jinpachi says as he reassured her.

The two kissed as they disappeared, leaving only Renji and I left. I felt my body slipping away from him as we held tightly on his hands, our fingers intertwining.

"Is this is really... the end?" I asked Renji, feeling my voice trembling as an uncontrollable stream of tears fell from my face.

"I guess so... funny, isn't it? When something good happens, it ends in tragedy, eh?" Renji joked lightly.

"Renji..." I held out my hand towards him, trying to hold on as time began to distort, tearing us apart. I can feel a pull taking me away from him as I fought to hold on.

"Goodbye... Orihime..." he whispered.

"RENJI! RENJI! I WON'T FORGET YOU! FIND ME! RENJI!" I cried. He began to get sucked up into a bright light along with the rest of the Gotei. "I LOVE YOU! RENJI, I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!"

_Our love is like fireworks._

**_And all I can see are fireworks..._**

"RENJI!"

**_All I see are fireworks..._**

"RENJI! I'LL FIND YOU!"

**_Fireworks..._**

"RENJI! DON'T FORGET ME! I LOVE YOU!"

**_Even brighter than the moon..._**

"I love you... Orihime..."

_**Baby, you're a**** firework...**_

"RENJI!"

Everybody was gone now. Tears were floating in this space and I felt I was slipping away. I was losing energy from fighting the current stealing Renji from me as he continued to fade. My vision began to blur from the brightness and I could see him smiling sadly at me. I was already losing him since the beginning. Yet... I would have still stayed with him.

Then he was gone... but his voice was still there... lingering... haunting...

_"I love you... Orihime..."_

I heard his voice echo multiple times as I drowned in the surging storm of insanity.

And there I was. All alone. I was absorbed into the light as my body began being stripped. I was floating endlessly, naked, helpless, crying. Exhausted. I lost Renji. All that just to lose him. This isn't fair! Life isn't fair! But I did it anyway! I fought to lose him! Because I care too fuckin' much! I could have been greedy yet I chose to sacrifice my already breaking heart just for this! Why?

_Why?_

God... I could live five different lives if I wanted to...

I could have been anyone...

If I had to think about what I wanted to be...

Of what I wanted to do...

It wouldn't be much...

Renji, you know I had a lot of things I wanted to do...

I want to be a teacher...

I also want to be an astronaut... and also make my own cake shop... I want to go to the sweets bakery and say, "I want one of everything"...

Oh, I wish I could live life five times over!

Then I'd be born in five different places, and I'd stuff myself with different food from around the world...

I'd live five different lives with five different occupations...

And then, for those five times...

I'd fall in love with the same person...

Over and over again...

_Goodbye... Halcyon Days..._

I smiled, closing my eyes as I let Adonai do what she must.

The Big Crunch happened. The Big Rip was averted. Now I have to endure a lifetime without Renji... starting with a simple bang... an explosion... a firework...

_The Big Bang_

I got up yawning from a nap. I felt weird for some reason. I had a weird dream so that's probably it! I looked at my cellphone. Most were from Tatsuki and I searched in vain for Ichigo. Go figure. He probably gets too busy with Rukia to even notice anything or anyone else. I changed from a simple shirt and short shorts and put on a dress. I felt like getting some food because I was hungry. I was watching this show called the Big Bang Theory that Chad helped me pirate. As I walked out, I felt my phone vibrate. It was from Ichigo.

_8:19PM Rukia is gone. She contact you?_

_8:20PM No? I didn't know she was gone? Is everything okay?_

_8:20PM Yeah, I guess..._

_8:21PM Oh okay! I'm going to get some ice cream! Want to go with me?_

_8:21PM Nah._

_8:21PM Oh... okay..._

I sighed, leaving my home. I had a quick change of clothing, donning a denim skirt and a white jacket. I thought I was pretty attractive! Guys **do** love girls with tits and an ass! Am I right or am I right? I mean, I am pretty... right?

_Aren't I?_

_Am I not pretty enough?_

I sighed as I walked. Oh well. It's kind of pointless now because I have an empty stomach and I'm craving for sweets for some reason. As I trotted trying to maintain a jolly mood, I saw snow falling down on the ground. In the distance I heard fireworks and I was going to investigate but I heard an explosion in the distance. I decided to scope it out because I don't think people heard it, especially with the fireworks shielding its sound. I found myself on top of a closed business building and this weird creature lay on the ground. I looked down and saw I was thirteen stories up so I panicked a little, backing away from the edge when I bumped into someone. I turned around to meet a muscular man who I initially thought it to be Ichigo but it wasn't. He was wearing visors and he had tattoos on his forehead. He had a katana on his right hand and his red hair was tied up in a ponytail. He removed his visors and I was flustered. This man was handsome! Could he be related to Ichigo?!

Then... I felt nauseated for some reason and a wave of nostalgia hit me...

"Hoi! You!" the man called out.

"Y-yes!" I backed away.

"You can see me?" he asked.

"Oh, was I not supposed to see you? OH! WAIT! I saw nothing! Please let me go! Don't rape me..." I begged, bowing to him.

"What? I'm not going to hurt you!" he said to me.

"Oh... thank you!" I bowed profusely, causing him to panic slightly.

"Stop doing that!" he said, waving his arms at me.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm just looking for someone."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"Oh... okay..."

"Well... see ya'..."

"You look familiar..."

"Eh?"

"N-nothing... it's nothing... just my imagination..." I laughed nervously, punching my head softly.

"You're weird..."

"Renji," another voice interjected. I turned and it was another man wearing similar clothing to his except he had a scarf on and a kind of weird headpiece.

"Captain..." the man known as Renji greeted, kneeling in front of him

"Let's not waste time. We have a job to do," the captain ordered before walking away.

"Aye, sir!" Renji got up but I grabbed his sleeves, causing him to look at me with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"Your name is Renji?" I inquired.

"Yeah, what about it?" Renji folded his arms as he turned to me.

_My God... he's so buff... and sexy... I like his personality, too... and he's actually talking to me! He's making a good impression so far! I think I'm going to end up starting to develop a thing for rebellious guys now..._

Yeah. I have problems.

"What?"

"My name is Orihime. Orihime Inoue." I smiled at him, causing Renji to blush a little.

_Yay! He's blushing!_

"I'm... uh... Abarai. Abarai Renji." He narrowed his eyebrows as I bowed. When I got up, I saw him staring down at my shirt but I caught him so he turned away.

_Stare at them! Stare at my cleavage! You know you like them!_

Yep. I have issues.

Good Lord, what is wrong with me?

"I hope we can be friends!"

"Yeah... right. I gotta' go."

"Wait! When will I see you again?"

"Hrm. Who knows? Maybe soon."

"Okay."

"Later, Inoue," Renji smirked, giving me a two finger salute before he took flight to join the man addressed simply as _Captain_.

"Bye..." I whispered, waving at him.

"Sorry, Captain Kuchiki! She was asking me questions!" I heard Renji say but his commander said nothing so they took off.

_Renji._

_I like_ _him._

_**THE**_**_ END_**

**AN: **I hope you all enjoyed that!

_**SNEAK**** PEAK!**_

_Fireworks: Reloaded._


End file.
